MCN: Key of the Twilight
by Kafka'sdragon
Summary: Negi's class has graduated to high school and wizards, demons and danger abound. Continues Markham Chronicles Negima and MCN: the Other Side of the Mirror. AU and OC.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Welcome! This story not only features many OCs but occurs in the same alternate universe as MakuhariFan-01's "Ala Alba in the World of Magic" and "Chao Lingshen: Coming Home." **

**For those of you who haven't read the previous 350,000 or so words, let me explain what's going on. No, there's too much; let me sum up. **

**Negi's students graduated from the middle school and are in their first year of high school. Their new homeroom teacher is Phillip Markham. Initially unaware of magic, Phillip quickly discovered the secret and found himself embroiled in a battle between Mahora and the Cabal Magicus, a group of mages bent on dominating both old and new worlds.**

**Besides the Cabal, other groups have been active in both old and new worlds. Fidelis Fraternus is a group of fanatics who seek to keep the Mage of the Beginning from destroying the Mundus Magicus and have tried to trap the Imperial Princess of the Twilight in the Mundus Vertus. The Council of Mages has been rendered nearly impotent by internal dissension as well as the actions of covert agents from the other groups. And demons have been attacking both worlds.**

**Mahora's headmaster sent Professor Akashi to the Mundus Magicus on a fact finding mission, accompanied by the assassin Hiro Sasuki. Meanwhile, Nagi Springfield has returned to Wales, with long-time friend Eishun, in search of his wife. **

**This story follows "Markham Chronicles Negima" and "MCN: the Other Side of the Mirror." Reading them along with "Hiro's Lament" will help to avoid some of the WTF moments. I owe a debt to several fanfiction authors whose stories have served as inspiration. Besides MakuhariFan-01, other stories that have provided ideas (meaning I have shamelessly ripped off) include Ambrant Arandel's "Child of Mine", TFKeyes' "The Wonders of Love," ReddyRedWolf's "Love Sara" and ****Tsutomu Teruko's "Pactum Factum." ****If you've missed these stories, you missed some of the very best tales in the Negima section.**

**Ken Akamatsu owns Negima and its characters. Chiho Masuda was a name used by Makuhari-Fan01 for Kaede Nagase's cousin. Other characters are of my invention. I do occasionally borrow OCs from other contributors to this section.**

**The following conventions are use: **"words," 'thoughts,' _'reading'_ **and "spells." **

**The Gathering Storm**

…**there was a deep conviction and almost universal hope that peace would reign in the world – **Winston Churchill

--

**New Ostia, Mundus Magicus**

Brightly colored pennons furled and snapped above the Governor-General's Palace as a small transport rose gracefully into the air. Twin emblems of the Alliance and the old Ostian coat of arms identified the craft as the governor's personal airship. Knights in black armor raised their lances in salute at the departing vessel while few of the scurrying officials and servants stopped to watch.

Kurt Gödel gazed out of the window as New Ostia spread out before him. Signs of rebuilding were scattered about the city, evidence of the near disaster that occurred during last year's Peace Festival. With the generous funding provided by the Mesembrian Senate, nearly all of the damage had been repaired. Work plodded on the new Ala Alba Arena, named for the latest heroes to "save" Ostia, but he was assured it would be ready in plenty of time for this year's festival.

Yes, New Ostia was recovering, but Kurt knew the danger was still there. The Mage of the Beginning, a spirit whose power created the Mundus Magicus and was destined to destroy it, had been neutralized for a second time. Few knew how close to annihilation they had come. If not for the valiant efforts of the Thousand Master's son and the boy's companions, the world would have been reduced to ashes. But who would be there to stop it the next time?

That there would be a next time, he was certain. As long as the vessel lived, the Mage of the Beginning could return and carry out her dreadful task. The plan to sever the gates and trap the Imperial Princess in the Old World was flawed; they would merely trade one sure destruction for another. Kurt had wanted to believe in the plan, but the mounting evidence couldn't be ignored any longer. Magnusson was a hothead who had gotten just what the man deserved; however, Arn had been right about what needed to be done. For the sake of the world, this Asuna Kagurazaka had to die.

Speeding over the barren wasteland that had once been a prosperous kingdom, the airship approached the ruins of Old Ostia. Five kilometers out, they were stopped by one of the Mage Council's security teams and questioned. Not wishing to antagonize the Alliance, the team chief swiftly cleared them to continue. "Do you wish an escort Governor Gödel?" the mage had asked.

"Despite my physical condition, that won't be necessary," Kurt answered and then pointed to the sheathed sword his squire held. "That is all the protection I require."

"Understood Governor," the robed man replied. "However, as long as you remain in the area of the old city, you'll have to report in every hour. Failure to do so will cause a rescue team to be sent in after you sir."

"You have the proper frequency to report in?" he asked the pilot who nodded in response. "Is there anything further?"

"Nothing else sir," the mage said as he saluted. "Good luck Governor Gödel."

"Yes, yes," Kurt remarked. "I daresay I could use a bit of luck."

--

With one edge tilted up, the principle island of the former capitol of Vespetatia laid on the rocky ground like a huge, beached whale. "Have you ever seen the old city before?" Kurt asked the young boy at his side.

"Only in pictures sir," his squire answered. "I've never been this close before."

"Once it was a noble place," the governor reminisced. "The Royal Palace was near the center, surrounded by the government offices. There were libraries, theaters, public baths and the coliseum where gladiators fought before cheering crowds. Over a million people called it home."

"And then, in the space of an afternoon, it was gone," he said. "A teaming metropolis became this wasteland you now see."

"It is very sad," the youngster remarked.

Sad didn't even begin to describe it. During the final battle of the Great War, Kurt had been charged with guiding the Mesembrian fleet to the city. From his vantage point on the Flag Ship, Svanhit, the eleven-year old boy watched as the combined navies of the Alliance and Hellas Empire desperately struggled to contain the orb of power that would have consumed their world. They succeeded somehow, but at a terrible cost. Every island within a 25 kilometer radius crashed to the ground as the magic that kept them aloft was inexplicably drained.

It was as Master Anankaios had predicted. They would save the world by letting an entire city, nay kingdom, perish. All because Nagi Springfield had refused the expedient solution of slaying one little girl; and the others supported his foolishness. Even Kurt's own teacher agreed with the idiot who couldn't bother to learn more than a handful of spells. What sort of enchantment had that evil witch cast over them?

Convinced that Ala Rubra was too encumbered with being the good guys to ever make the right decisions, Gödel struck off on his own. While in Megalo-Mesembria, the teenage boy was approached by one of the Faithful and shown the true path to ensure the world's salvation. With the brotherhood's help, he was elected to the Senate and rose rapidly through its ranks. Yet even the Brethren had too narrow of a focus, failing to see beyond their duty to stop the Life Giver.

Yes they must prevent the world's destruction, but a new order needed to be established. Both the outdated imperialism of Hellas and the ineffectual alliance of the Northern Nations had to be swept away; replaced by a cadre of leaders who would make the difficult choices. And it had nearly come to fruition.

The Separatists were to sever the gates and topple the established governments. However, before King Enteofushia and his cronies could seize power, Kurt and a few well-placed fellows would stop them. A grateful citizenry would give their saviors all the authority needed to root out the traitors and usher in a new age. But then that Kagurazaka girl showed up and the glorious revolution withered before it could send out so much as a shoot.

Salvaging his vision was still possible, Kurt believed. Success required capturing the public's attention and that meant he needed a figure that would command their notice. Negi Springfield, son of the Thousand Master, was readymade for that role. If the boy could be brought back to the Mundus Magicus, were Kurt could provide the proper guidance, the new age could still be achieved. Of course the contaminating influences around the youngster had to be removed. But he had allies who could deal with those nuisances.

Blocks of crumbling walls and other debris littered the once bustling thoroughfare in the heart of Old Ostia. Citizens and visitors alike had crowded the wide boulevard connecting the Enteofushian Palace to the Circus Maximus. Now, only a few clumps of grass, poking out between weathered paving stones, could be seen. 'A city of ghosts,' the governor-general thought as his foot impatiently tapped the transport's carpeted floor. "There," he said, pointing at twin blocks of black marble. "Land there."

Statues commemorating the wedding of Lady Aricia Teotanasia to Mifuzu Saseru Enteofushia, King of Vespatatia, had once rested upon those massive slabs. Rumor had it that they were pulled down by a grief stricken husband who could not bear to see his wife's likeness after her "mysterious" death. Quietly whispered was they were left empty to serve as grim reminders of royal power and caprice.

Stepping out of the transport, Kurt and his young squire headed directly towards the Royal Treasury. The building was as grand as any of the temples raised within the city, fitting since wealth was the true religion of Ostia both old and new. Carefully the pair ascended the rubble-strewn steps and passed into the Grand Hall where a shouted "Halt!" stopped them.

"This is a restricted area," the unseen sentry announced.

"I'm well aware of that Bleys," Kurt called back. "I'm here to see the doctor."

A grey-robed figure carrying an energy lance appeared at the end of the hall. Floating above the tilted floor, the heavily muscled man approached the governor and then bowed deeply. "I beg your pardon sir, but we weren't expecting you."

As the guard pulled back the hood covering his head, Kurt could clearly see the mercenary's crag-like face, criss-crossed by several white scars from previous battles. "I know," he replied, "but I wanted to examine the doctor's handiwork for myself."

"Then follow me sir," the armed man said while turning on his heel. "I'll take you to him straight away."

Broad shoulders bunched and rippled underneath the mage robe as the guard floated across the debris-filled floor. Bleys Galynd had been an up and coming officer of the Alliance during the Great War. After his regiment spearheaded a successful thrust into Argos, he was being considered for greater command when reports surfaced of a massacre of non-human prisoners under his control. True or not, the Imperial Forces had rallied in response to the supposed atrocity and the offensive stalled.

After being cashiered from the military, he began a career as a well-paid mercenary. Many a survivor of the civil war in Syrtis cursed his name and with good reason; under his command, the Teutonic Mage Knights had razed whole cities from the map during that upheaval. It had been only natural for Kurt to have enlisted his assistance for the counter coup. As King Enteofushia's mercenaries went about their tasks, and failed miserably, Bleys had quietly secured the Argyre legation's compound. Recognizing a valuable asset, Kurt had shielded the man from that unholy trio of Senator Ricardo, Grand Magus Seras and Third Princess Theodora in the aftermath of what had been euphemistically called the Ostian Incident.

Their path twisted through partially cleared corridors and offices into one of the sublevels beneath the ground floor. Passing through a final set of doors, the party entered a makeshift laboratory. A grey-haired man in a white lab coat looked up at their noise. "Governor Gödel," the man called out. "What a surprise to see you."

"I'm afraid I've grown too impatient to see the results Doctor Azarus," Kurt replied. Though the man appeared to be nothing more than the kindly, family physician popular on the HD, Rafaelo Azarus was the most skilled cosmetic surgeon within the nations of the Northern Alliance. He was also a heavy gambler who had bet a bundle on Team Argyre the previous season.

"Then come this way Governor," the doctor beckoned. Moving to a curtained alcove, the man pulled the fabric aside to reveal a glass tank such as critically wounded patients were kept in. Suspended within a jelly-like liquid was a teenage girl whose hair fell about a slender waist.

"I'm particularly pleased with the eyes," Doctor Azarus commented. "Matching both shades proved a challenge."

"Splendid work," Kurt responded as his eyes carefully examined a duplicate no spell would ever detect. His lips turned down into a slight frown. "There's just one thing more doctor."

"Yes?" the surgeon asked.

"According to my information," Kurt answered, "the subject has no pubic hair."

"What? But she must be 15 at least?"

Spinning about, the governor began retracing his path. "Just take care of it doctor," he remarked. "And then we can consider your debt paid in full."

--

**Megalo-Mesembria**

"A slave collar you say?" the doctor replied as he glanced up from the clipboard in his hands. The physician seemed mostly human save for a pair of black furred ears that stuck out from his head. "She's lucky then. I've seen far worse than her burns caused by those damnable devices."

"Yes, and I'd appreciate it if this went no further than you and I," Doubek said. "If word got out that somebody actually removed their collar …"

"I understand," the doctor responded. "You can count on my cooperation."

"Is the young lady conscious yet?" the old mage asked.

"Yes, but she's not ready for an interrogation."

"I have no intention of interrogating the poor girl," he assured the doctor. "I do wish to confirm her identity so any possible family can be contacted."

The dragon-girl's eyes were open and alert as Doubek walked into the hospital room. Seating himself next to her bed, the Harbinger stared at her expressionless face. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," she tersely answered. Her voice was pitched lower than he would have expected, but was pleasant sounding none the less. His eyes moved back to the heavily bandaged hand resting on top of the blanket.

"Excellent," he replied. "That's good to hear Miss …?"

"Tamaki," the girl answered and then blankly stared at his patiently, expectant face.

"Do you want to get word to your family?" he finally asked.

"No."

"Is there anyone you'd like to …?"

"No."

"Miss … Tamaki, I want to explain the current situation so you understand your position," Doubek said. "Both men you were with are wanted felons. As a slave, you cannot be charged as an accessory. However, your contract could be sold at a state-sanctioned auction and the proceeds used to pay off any debts against your owners."

Though her features remained neutral, he caught an ear twitch at that remark. "Further Miss Tamaki, you were found with your collar removed. If it is determined that your owner didn't release you, I'd imagine a lot of people will be talking to you, people less patient than I."

"Leniency can be granted if it is proved you were deliberately mistreated," Doubek told her as his glance focused on the stub of the girl's severed horn. "And if you were illegally enslaved, you will be immediately freed and entitled to compensation from those responsible."

Tamaki's gaze remained level and her lips shut, but something about the dragon-girl cried out for help.

"As you wish Miss Tamaki," he said and then took his leave.

Outside, Doubek began to search for a water fountain when he was accosted by Agent Masuda.

"Mister Valkova," the inquisitor called. In the woman's hand was a compact disc case. "Did you have any luck with the young lady?"

"No," he answered. "She gave a name and not much else."

"I noticed this in the gift shop and was intrigued," Chiho explained as she held the case up for his inspection. "You might find it of interest too."

'_Damashi, Key of the Twilight_,' the cover read. "What does this have to do …?"

Before he could finish, the agent turned the package over and revealed a picture of five girls. Tamaki stood on the far right, next to a neko-girl. "Damashi," he mused aloud. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"They were one of the star attractions at last year's Ostian Peace Festival," Chiho informed him. "All of the band members disappeared mysteriously during the chaos after the incident."

Doubek stared at the picture of the teen musicians. "Curiouser and curiouser."

"If she was kidnapped and made a slave, wouldn't that invalidate her contract?" the squint-eyed woman asked.

"Certainly," he answered. "If she had been kidnapped for that purpose."

Doubek thought back to last year's troubles. All of the gateports, save one, lay in ruins and the Council had charged him with apprehending the young ringleader of the terrorist band responsible. Word had come that the lad and several accomplices were spotted in Ostia, so off the Harbinger went. That Negi Springfield and his ministra were the culprits was utter rubbish, but Doubek had received his orders.

By a stroke of pure luck, he happened across one of the plot's true leaders attempting to flee the old city. At odd moments, Doubek regretted letting Mifuzu Enteofushia take the coward's way out, yet the information retrieved helped them root out Kosmos Entelechia agents within the Council's midst. If the dragon-girl was indeed part of that musical group, then Tamaki would be a person of interest.

"I'm sure the enforcers will sort this out," he told the inquisitor. "What was it you wanted to speak with me about?"

"Oh yes. It had slipped my mind during all the excitement," the agent replied though he didn't believe that for a moment. "I must inform you that you are under no obligation to answer my questions and that our discussion is to be kept confidential."

"I understand."

"Speaker Karkolova is under suspicion for misusing funds appropriated for the gate stone replacement project," Masuda told him and then waited for his reaction.

"That would be most surprising if true," Doubek responded.

"Have you known the Speaker long?" the agent asked.

"For more than eight years," he answered while recalling a younger Regina. Within two years of arriving from the Mundus Vertus, the bounty hunter had made a name for herself in the border regions between the Alliance and Empire. They had first met while both were pursuing the same group of renegade mages. A temporary alliance had been the start of their friendship.

"Do you two ever discuss financial matters?"

"Only those pertaining to my expense account."

"What exactly is the Speaker's role in the project?"

"I believe the Speaker was approached by several scientists who claimed they could fabricate gate stones in a matter of months rather than years," Doubek answered. "Using the extraordinary powers granted to her by the Council, she authorized immediate construction. Since the ports opened for operation two months ago, I wouldn't think there'd be any complaints … except from those who want the gates closed."

"Such matters are beyond the scope of my investigation," Agent Masuda said. "You said she was approached by scientists; who were they?"

"I believe they were members of OSIRIS."

"OSIRIS?"

"The Oculus Scientific Institute of Research, Investigation and Study," he explained.

"Oculus? Isn't that where that Doctor Glimmerhorn was from?"

"Yes," Doubek confirmed. "He's was a member of OSIRIS."

"Was?" the agent asked.

"Doctor Glimmerhorn disappeared days before he was to address the Mana Crisis Conference in Phoenicis," the man answered. "There's been no trace of him since."

"Didn't the news report that somebody tried to blow up that conference?"

"That is correct."

"My, look at the time," the woman said as she glanced at a wall clock. "Thank you for your help Mister Valkova, but I really must be going. Do you need a lift back to your apartment?"

"I'll be fine Miss," he told her. "Enjoy your office party."

--

Seated in the dolphin, Agent Masuda punched the speed dial on her phone. "Hello chief? Chiho here. Sorry about being late but my interview took a little longer than I anticipated," she explained. "I have a question about this investigation. Can I buy a ticket to Oculus?"

--

Koyomi sat at the piano and played for her "master's" entertainment. Around her neck rested a leather collar from which a tiny bell hung. The neko-girl's tail, curled behind her back, gave an angry flick whenever that bell jingled. She could feel the man's leering eyes upon her, could hear the corners of his mouth crinkle upwards into a smug grin. How sweet it would be to rip that smug grin to shreds she thought, but as long as Tamaki was a prisoner…

Softly the ring tone from the Councilor's phone played and he answered the call with a curt "What is it?"

Koyomi couldn't hear what the response was, but Ikoma's "That is most unfortunate" told her that their evening was likely to be cut short. Not that she would mind. Sure enough, after hanging up, he ordered her to stop and she unhesitatingly obeyed.

"I have a job for you," Ikoma said. "You'll need to leave for Granicus tomorrow. I expect you'll be there for several days."

"I'll have to give a reason to be gone from the office," she replied. "What shall I tell Mifune-sama?"

"I don't care," the man snapped. "Tell him you're tending a sick aunt."

"What is it you wish me to do master?"

"There's a certain individual who's outlived his usefulness."

--

**Meldiana, Wales**

Kneeling on a grassy knoll, Eishun remained as still as a rock. Undetectable to untrained eyes was the constant tensing and relaxing of muscles that kept blood flowing and the body limber enough to move in a split second. As a youngster being introduced to the way of the sword, he could not appreciate the need to learn how to sit motionless. Dutifully, the boy obeyed his sensei and sat, assailed by boredom, a little longer each day.

One day, Eishun's legs had turned numb when his teacher set upon the apprentice with a bamboo sword. Unable to move quickly enough, the boy had been beaten with the practice blade. "I do not teach useless lessons," his master shouted at him. "No matter where you are, no matter what you are doing, you must be prepared to fight at an instant's notice."

Bruised and battered, he had gazed up as the swordsman challenged, "When you can do that, I will teach you more."

Tranquility was shattered by a metallic hiss as the nodachi slipped from its scabbard. A hum filled the air as the blade's keen edge sliced through imaginary enemies. Spinning, dodging, leaping and slashing, Eishun moved like veritable whirlwind of destruction. Patterns ingrained from years of repetition flowed smoothly and naturally, without conscious thought: upwards cut from right to left, cross cut from left to right and then a downwards cut diagonally. As quickly as it had begun, the sword was sheathed and the master stood ready.

"Bravo! Splendid! Superb!" a high pitched voice squeaked. Glancing down, the sword's master spotted his appreciative audience by a tuft of grass. An ermine with white fur and a black banded tail stood on its hind legs, mouthing compliments non-stop. "Such sublime swordsmanship," the creature spouted. "I've not seen its like before."

A wry smile graced the man's lips as Eishun replied with a "Thank you."

"Might I know your name good sir?" the ermine asked.

"It's Konoe," he answered.

"Well Konoe, my name is Sophia," she told him. "Would you happen to be from Japan?"

His affirmative prompted a pleased "Smashing! Simply smashing!" in response.

The grasses parted as another ermine poked its head out. "Go ahead and ask him Sophia," the newcomer anxiously whispered.

"I was just getting to it," the first one testily replied. Focusing back upon Eishun, Sophia asked, "I know Japan is rather a large place, but by chance, would you happen to know an ermine by the name of Albert Chamomile?"

Chamo-kun, as Albert was affectionately referred as, had accompanied Negi on all of the boy's trips to Kyoto. The pervin' ermine, as Asuna called him, had a well deserved reputation among the temple's maidens, who would carefully inventory and then hide their unmentionables whenever another visit by Konoka and friends was announced. "I know him," Eishun answered.

"How is he?" the second ermine asked the swordsman directly.

"This is Penelope," Sophia introduced.

"Please to meet you," the newcomer said.

"Albert, you see, is our brother," Sophia told him, "and we haven't heard from him in ages."

"He seemed in good health the last time I saw him," he informed the pair. "That was only ten days ago."

"You see, I told you he'd know Albert," Penelope gloated. "Everybody knows Albert."

"It's a relief to hear our dear brother's in good health," Sophia remarked, "but is he keeping out of trouble?"

Eishun carefully considered his answer. By ignoring the theft of women's under things and forcing provisional pactios upon a young and innocent boy he could answer yes. Seeing the man's hesitation, Sophia rolled her eyes and exclaimed "Oh dear! Albert's not doing that again is he?"

From the ermine's expression, he didn't have to ask what "that" meant.

"It's not really his fault," Penelope hastily chimed in to her brother's defense. "Albert's just trying to find that woman."

"Woman?" he asked. "What woman is that Miss Penelope?"

"Miss Penelope?" the ermine repeated in an obviously pleased tone. "I like that."

"Don't go off on a tangent Penny," her sister scolded. "It was the woman who cursed our poor brother."

"Somebody cursed him?" Eishun asked while privately wondering that more hadn't.

"Yes and because of that curse," Sophia lamented, "our beloved Albert is off gallivanting instead of being here to take care of us."

"But at least he sends money regularly," Penny pointed out.

"That is entirely beside the point!" the other ermine angrily replied. "His place is here with his family! If that woman was here I'd … I'd … I'd act in a very unladylike fashion!"

"Perhaps I can be of service," Eishun said, drawing the sisters' attention.

"I am versed in breaking curses," he explained. "If you can tell me more about this woman and what she did, I might be able to help poor Albert."

In response, the sisters put their heads together in a whispered conversation. The shinmei-ryu patiently waited, thinking to himself that this could only happen in England, well Wales he amended.

"Well Konoe, if you believe you can actually help our brother …" the first ermine said.

"I cannot promise to lift the curse," Eishun replied, "but I will do what I can."

"Then follow us," Penelope called as she scampered down the hillside. With some reluctance, Sophia bounded after her sister.

Following the twin flashes of white, Eishun was led to another hill. Spike-like stalks with rows of vivid purple-colored flowers covered the mound his guides had led the swordsman to. Penelope vanished from sight as did her sister. A moment later, Sophia reappeared. "Come on," the ermine said. "This way."

Extending his senses outward, he couldn't detect even a slight trace of magic about the mound, but as he stepped within a pace of it, the hill transformed into a circular-shaped hut. The outer walls of the structure had been covered with mud and atop it rested a conical roof made of thatch. Eishun was reminded of a travel magazine article featuring roundhouses built in pre-Roman Briton. Pushing past a leather flap hung over the opening, he stepped inside.

Light, from a score or more of crystals embedded into stone pillars, softly glowed in response to his presence. Gazing about, he noted that a cot, table, stool and other simple furnishings were still in place, as if the owner had left that morning for a stroll. Piled near the cot were enough panties to fill the ladies lingerie department of the local Marks and Spencer store several times over.

A couple of books and writing materials rested upon the table. Glancing down at the covers, Eishun made out the titles: _'A Russian Reference'_ and _'A Russian Primer.'_ The sheets of paper, mildewed to a muddy grey, were covered with neatly written rows of Cyrillic characters.

"And this woman who cursed your brother," Eishun asked the sisters, "can you describe her?"

"Albert is the only one to have seen her," Sophia answered.

"But he spoke about her often enough," Penelope remarked. "She had long, sort of reddish-brown hair, with skin as pale as freshly fallen snow."

As the ermine continued speaking, her expression was that of a person gazing far into the distance, as if trying to catch a glimpse of a ship sailing over the horizon. "Her eyes were the color of aquamarine and they sparkled in the reflected fire light. The sound of her voice was more delicate than a windborne thistle, yet commanded complete attention."

Sophia sat with mouth open, mesmerized by her sister's narration. "Her scent was strong, being more spicy than musky, and it was as overpowering as a field of new mown hay." Penelope paused, as if attempting to dredge more memories and then sighed, "At least that's how Albert described her to me."

"Was there anything else Miss Penelope?"

"The woman had a ring, a silver ring that flashed green when she made him promise …"

"What did she make your brother promise?" Eishun asked.

Penelope glanced at her sister, who nodded in return. "She made him promise to become friends with a little boy who had lost his parents," the ermine answered. "A little boy named Negi."

--

**Mahora, Japan**

Music blared from a set of woofers that would not have been out of place in a concert hall, though it could barely be heard over the din of conversation. The dormitory's recreation room was swathed in streamers, balloons and a large banner that read _'Welcome.'_ Every kind of snack that the all-night market carried had been purchased and an over laden table groaned from the weight. Phillip Markham gazed about, impressed by his homeroom's effort.

After announcing his intention to remain at Mahora, the students had organized an impromptu celebration in the time it took for the class period to finish and the day's final bell to ring. 'What these girls can accomplish when they put their minds to it.'

'If only they could channel this energy into their schoolwork,' he silently lamented.

That the girl's were throwing a party for their teacher was humbling. At the same time, the feeling was tempered by the knowledge that class 1A didn't require much of an excuse to have a good time. Takahata-san glossed over a "few" things during their discussion on Phillip's new students, but his predecessor may have been guilty of understatement in this case.

Following Father Tomatsu's advice, Phillip had decided to weather the storm and remain as their teacher. Yet doubts persisted. Accepting the existence of magic hadn't been a stumbling block, nor had being in the crosshairs of a group of wizards bent on destroying Mahora. His true dilemma stemmed from a certain girl in his homeroom.

Being a stranger in a strange land, the middle-aged man had reached out to his student in friendship, blithely ignoring the potential for disaster. In hindsight he could clearly see the signs here and there that should have clued him in. Why didn't he at the time? Was he behaving like a typically dense male when it came to women, or did he subconsciously enjoy the ego boost that being liked by a pretty girl provided? As he watched a future where Madoka became a drug addict unfold, Phillip finally grasped that the "strong feelings" were mutual.

"Would you like something to drink sensei?" the class rep asked. Ayaka held a black, lacquered flask and offered Phillip a matching box with a smaller cup set inside it. Noting her teacher's dubious expression, the girl explained that this was a traditional serving set for sake.

"That flask doesn't contain sake does it?"

"Ginger ale," she assured him and then poured out the sparking liquid until the smaller cup overflowed.

"Oops. You spilled," he commented.

"It's supposed to be served that way," Ayaka informed him, "as a sign of generosity."

Being the daughter of a family whose wealth was greater than the gross domestic product of several countries, Phillip had been leery at first of class president's ability to lead; and the reputation class 1A had with other teachers did nothing to alter that opinion. However, Miss Yukihiro was a willing pupil who possessed a talent for getting things done. He needed to get her more involved in future planning.

"Why does the banner say welcome?"

"We weren't sure what to call this situation," Ayaka answered. "Since we didn't throw you a welcoming party before, we decided to make up for our lapse."

"Iincho-san," Asakura called as the red-headed reporter approached. "Do you have a moment? I'd like to discuss a financial matter with you."

As the pair walked away Chisame promptly filled the void. "Markham-sensei, can we talk?" the girl asked as she readjusted the strap of her laptop case. "There's something I think you need to see."

Seated in the lobby upstairs, the hacker opened the laptop and logged in as her teacher watched. "What's this about?" Phillip asked.

"I was assisting Anya-san this morning," she admitted. "I apologize too for putting you through all that. While observing your past, I noticed something about that little girl from the bar you helped."

In a minute, the child's image was displayed on the monitor. "This is the girl right?" Chisame waited for him to nod and a few keystrokes later, a split screen showed the refuge next to a classmates' face. "Photoshock is a sophisticated graphics program," she explained as her finger depressed another key. Quietly they watched as the software slowly morphed the little girl's face into a duplicate of the other's.

"Have you told anyone about this?"

"Anya-san and Chamo-kun know," Chisame answered. "I haven't discussed it with anybody else."

"Thank you Miss Hasegawa."

--

Gossip had such negative connotations attached to it that Haruna decided that a new term was needed for what she and her circle of friends and acquaintances did. They performed an important task by ensuring the free flow of information from one end of the campuses of Mahora to the other. If the old adage about knowledge being power was true, then she should be lauded for leveling the playing field instead of reviled as a "gossiping girl".

A party like this should have provided a trove of information, but the mangaka hadn't unearthed the least, little tidbit. Finely honed senses scanned the room as twin hairs sticking out from the girl's head quivered like a pair of antenna.

"I still haven't caught up on my reading assignment."

"The EOS 20D comes out in August and costs around 200,000."

"I bought the latest Neverwinter Nights expansion pack. Want to come over a play it?"

"Can I copy your math homework?"

"I'll trade you three Hell Borne Frogs and an Ill-omened Crow for your Kendrian Shape Shifter."

"They're serving BBQ in the dining hall tonight."

"I know how you feel about soloing, but I have a new song that would sound better with you singing."

"May I speak with you privately Miss Rainyday?"

Anger flickered nearby in response to that last question. Haruna whirled about to find Misa glaring at sensei and Rainyday-san as the two of them stepped outside the rec room. Smiling, she shadowed the cheerleader into the hallway. Whatever was going on, it was bound to be juicier than a game of twister.

Kakizaki bent at the waist as the girl peered around the corner. Haruna joined her classmate and grinned in response to Misa's irritated scowl.

"You're that girl from the bar," Markham-sensei exclaimed. "I can't believe I found you after all this time. Why didn't you tell me?"

Although Zazie kept silent, the American surprised them by remarking, "No, I'm not angry with you. How could I be?"

Both teens stared at each other in confusion as the one-sided conversation continued. "You were the one who fired that shot?" Phillip grabbed hold of Zazie by her shoulders. "But why?"

Haruna gave her companion a do-you-know-what's-going-on look that Misa merely shrugged in response to.

"I guess that makes sense," sensei continued, "in a bizarre way."

The scuffle of shoes across cement announced the arrival of a third member. Ducking back around the corner, Haruna noted Yuna's approach. As the newcomer opened her mouth to speak, both eavesdroppers motioned for quiet.

"That's all in the past," Phillip emphatically declared. Three heads poked around the corner in time to see their teacher embrace another of his students. A scent not unlike rotted almonds filled Haruna's nose as the man said, "All that matters is that you're here."

--

Sunlight shone down on pink and white blossoms as slender stalks gently swayed, this time by a breeze. No luminous eyes peered out from the gloom gathered at the base of the oleanders. No snarl accompanied by sharp claws and fangs would greet her this day or any other. The ghosts of a murdered child and mother had released Aisaka Haru's spirit, and all of them had moved on to the next world. Sayo hoped that all three souls had found their happiness.

Sitting in her sister's garden, the former and soon to be again ghost luxuriated in the sensation of wiggling her toes in the grass. After spending the previous sixty years as a spirit, the girl was amazed by the feeling of flesh against the cool, springy plants. So many simple pleasures had been forgotten, like basking in the afternoon's warmth, it felt as if they were all brand new experiences. Soon the borrowed body would be returned and Sayo would be condemned to a ghostly existence once more.

"What am I going to do then?" she asked aloud.

"Why not, hmm hmm, continue to help others as you did earlier today."

Twisting about, she discovered that Mahora's headmaster stood a handful of paces away. Quickly the student scrambled to her feet and bowed in greeting. "Forgive me headmaster-sensei," Sayo explained, "I didn't hear you approach."

A wistful look was on Konoemon's face. "There was a time when you called me by name."

Breath caught in her throat at that. With an effort she managed to reply, "That would not be proper. I am a student still."

"And we must, heh heh, be proper mustn't we?" the old man observed. "What did you learn today?"

According to her father's diary, several Aisaka women had been skilled exorcists. Many of her family had fervently believed Sayo would follow in that noble tradition. The two hitodama, her constant companions through the years, had responded to the girl's commands and assumed a semblance of the people they had been in life. Even Markham-sensei, who could summon ghosts from their photographs, couldn't do that. And before he departed, her father claimed that there was still work to do in this world before she could cross over. "I have a purpose," she answered and then paused.

Since becoming friends with Kazumi and Negi, Sayo had realized that she no longer needed to be alone. The world held those who would willingly extend their friendship to her, even risk themselves for her sake. This morning proved that it was more than the handful in Team Negi that cared; the entire class had decided to stand with her. "And I have friends."

The headmaster's features softened as the corners of the man's mouth slightly raised in a smile. "Both very, hmm, important lessons," he commented. "However, there is one other I wish to tell you of."

She gazed at him with a puzzled frown on her face. "What more is there headmaster-sensei?"

His smile didn't fade, though it turned bittersweet, and Sayo saw the worn and tired man who had once been the vibrant youth she had gone to the spring dance with. "I have done a terrible thing," he confessed. "And my only excuse was that I missed you so much Say-chan."

"Since our kiss, not a day has gone by that I did not think of you," he admitted. "Even as a married man and raising a family, you were never far from my thoughts."

She stood speechless at this revelation, confused by the tumble of thoughts it brought and the strange reactions in her body. How could it be that the heart raced so fast while the lungs struggled to draw breath?

"I was devastated by your death," Konoemon explained. "My life no longer seemed worth living; I went so far as to volunteer to be a kamikaze pilot."

"Ko-kun?" she whispered.

"I flew out give my worthless life in defense of our homeland, but I could only see your beautiful face before me," the old man recalled. "A face that reminded me of all the reasons I still had for living."

Bare feet pounded as flesh and blood legs closed the distance between them. Arms embraced the suddenly frail seeming man. Gazing up into a deeply lined face overarched with bushy, white brows, the girl could still recognize the boy she had loved. "Ko-kun?" Sayo wept.

"You saved my miserable life that day Say-chan." Gently the headmaster disengaged her arms and stepped back, though he still grasped her hands. "However, do not think so well of me. You haven't heard all yet."

"After the war, I returned to the magic I had once scorned in hopes of finding a spell that would return you to me," he explained. "But my search was in vain. A little over forty years ago, I stumbled across the, hmm hmm, answer while reading about the pioneering work done by Tong Dizhou, a Chinese embryologist."

"Do you know what DNA is?" he asked and Sayo nodded in understanding.

"Tong inserted the DNA from a male carp into the egg of a female carp and created a genetic duplicate of the male fish," the headmaster told her. "I reasoned that the same could be done with people if a sample of the genetic material was available."

"As the headmaster, I have access to Mahora's medical records," he explained while removing a plastic sleeve from his robes. 'Aisaka, S.' was written across the sleeve and inside of it were three strands of black hair. "Eishun-san was as caring and attentive a husband as my daughter could wish for, heh heh, but she had not been able to conceive in nearly four years of marriage."

A sick dread filled her stomach and Sayo began to tremble. "What did you do?"

"I recommended that they try artificial insemination," Konoemon answered. "And I had your DNA inserted into my daughter's egg."

Sayo eyes gaped wide in horror as he continued. "Konoka, my beautiful granddaughter, is the result of a misguided attempt to bring you back."

--

**A/N: Part of the fun of writing this is coming up with explanations for why certain events occur in the manga. Like why do Konoka and Sayo resemble each other? And why does Chamo-kun collect, well you know? **

**The chapter heading and title are from the first volume of Churchill's history "The Second World War."**

**The title "Key of the Twilight" originated as a song written by Yuki Kajiura for "Hack SIGN."**

**Tong Dizhou is a noted scientist. His experiment with the carp was performed in the early 1960s.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Characters move and counter-move, like pieces across a chess board. My thanks to Dragon Knight Sevus and the usual suspects for their help with this chapter. I do appreciate all of you putting up with me.**

**Ken Akamatsu owns Negima and its characters. Luke Mason belongs to Hydriatus and stars in several stories while Captain Komaki appeared in MakuhariFan-01's "Ala Alba in the World of Magic." Other characters are of my invention.**

**The following conventions are use: **"words", 'thoughts', _memories _**and "spells".**

**The Journey Begins Anew**

**No matter how dark the night, morning always comes, and our journey begins anew**—Lulu

--

**Ariadne, Mundus Magicus**

Taped to the inside of the locker door, the photograph showed a newly commissioned nurse, smiling happily in her Imperial Navy uniform. Behind the woman loomed the bulk of the IHS Audacia, her first assignment. The picture had been taken scant months before the outbreak of the Schismatic War and the young officer looked proud, excited and even eager; little did she know what the next two years would bring.

A battleship of the super dreadnaught class, the Audacia had acquitted herself well in the war's early campaigns. At the Second Battle of Ostia, they had fought the flagship of Northern Alliance to a standstill, allowing the surviving fleet to withdraw from the field. It was simply astounding that they would be brought down several weeks later by a single, sword-armed maniac. How she had cursed the name Jacobius Rakan when that turncoat's blade gutted the Audacia. Hester Rache had lost more shipmates and friends on that day than the previous months combined. 'How could anyone consider that man a hero?' the nurse still wondered.

After victory had been declared, and the ancient city of Ostia was reduced to rubble, the war weary veteran applied for advanced training at Ariadne's Collegium Medicus and was accepted. In the twenty-one years since, Hester never regretted that decision; although riding herd on the other nurses in her ward did keep the woman on her toes. Closing the locker, she turned and headed for her station to begin another shift.

A faint noise came from a linen closet and the ward chief paused as if unsure she had heard anything. Once before the woman had surprised a nurse and patient engaged in behavior best suited for a hotel room rather than a hospital. Again there was a muffled cry and Hester threw the door open. One of her nurses, stripped down to her underwear, lay on the floor. Torn bed sheets bound wrists behind the woman's back while more strips tied neck to ankles. An 'X' of adhesive tape covered the victim's mouth. Before the chief could render help, a bloodcurdling scream came from a patient's room.

--

A hand squeezed his shoulder and shook it while a voice said "Time to wake up Hiro." Eyes opened to a pink, fuzzy image that slowly resolved into Emily Sevensheep. Garbed in a nurse's uniform, the cadet gazed down at him and smirked.

"What are you doing here?" the assassin, still groggy, asked. "And what's with that getup?"

"You have a message to deliver in Granicus," the girl answered. "And we were sent to give it to you."

"We?" Hiro replied as four more cadets, similarly dressed to Emily, quickly surrounded the bed. Sachi du Chat, Jei von Katz, Marie de Noir and Anna Van Eyck stood at each corner, all wearing an avid expression as if he was a piece of chocolate cake. The young man's stomach tightened much like it would at the top of a roller coaster just before plunging down the track. Before the assassin could react, hands grabbed his wrists and ankles as the girls held him spread-eagle. "Wa … wait a minute."

Grinning widely, Emily held up a syringe filled with an amber-colored liquid. "The Grandmistress' message is too important to be trusted to memory," she said. "You'll be carrying it for her."

"Just where are you planning to stick that?"

"In the one place any man would fight to the end for," she answered while flipping his gown up. "Keep him quiet Marie."

Still tightly grasping him by the wrist, the horned girl leaned over and clamped her mouth against his. "I meant use your hand," Emily scolded, but the other cadet refused to release his lips.

"This is going to sting … a lot."

Hiro felt the jab and let loose with a scream. Perspiration beaded on his forehead as the young man bolted upright and then scanned the darkened room. Realizing he was alone, the assassin fumbled for the lamp and switched it on as the door swung open and one of his armored guards looked inside.

"Why did you scream?" the mage knight demanded.

Pulling aside the hospital gown, Hiro glanced down and noticed a red spot where the nightmare Emily had injected him. "Has anyone been in here recently?"

"Only the nurses," the man replied.

"Move aside," the ward's chief nurse demanded as she shouldered her way into the room. "What's all the shouting for?"

"I felt a sharp pain like somebody stuck me with a needle," Hiro answered as muscles began to twitch involuntarily. Gazing down, he saw a ripple of motion underneath folds of flesh. "Gaaa!"

Nurse Rache moved to the bed and her sneer-like expression grew concerned. "Necroskuliki," the woman gasped as she produced a wand and pointed it at him. "**Debilito.**"

Hiro felt himself go rigid at the word. "Call security," the ward chief yelled at the mage knight and then turned back towards him.

"I'm going to cast a freezing spell to stop that creature," she warned. "It's not going to feel pleasant, but you'd prefer it over the other option."

Twin snakes twined about the held wand, each grasping the heart-shaped tip with its mouth. "**Congelo**," Rache chanted. Hiro had once read of a child who had tried licking frozen metal and had his tongue stick to it. As cold, so intense that it burned, engulfed his groin, the assassin no longer wondered how that child must have felt. Only the fact that his muscles were paralyzed kept him from yelling bloody murder.

--

A hum from machinery filled the room as Grandmistress Seras, accompanied by an armored Valkyrie, walked past a row of liquid filled tubes. The critical recovery chambers had been developed by physicians attached to gladiatorial arenas as a way of treating the severely wounded in the absence of a fully staffed medical facility. While many argued the respective benefits and evils of prize fighting, none could deny that the CR chambers had saved lives.

Up ahead, a sheep-eared woman wearing a white robe and black rimmed spectacles glanced up from a monitor screen as the pair approached. "Grandmistress Sears," the woman said while pulling the robe straight. "Captain Komaki."

Eyes gazed at the tank and the young man suspended in its health restoring liquid. Mister Oishi had been attacked in the school's hospital while under the guard of two mage knights. Mage knights placed there under her orders. "How is the patient doing Doctor Haejin?" she asked.

"Mr. Oishi is doing very well," the doctor answered. "A quick thinking nurse placed the necroskuliki in cryobiosis making extracting the parasite easy. He should recover with no lasting ill-effect."

"How long will he need to stay in the CR chamber?"

"It generally takes no longer than 24 hours," Haejin answered. "Then we observe for another 24 hours."

Turning to the officer next, Sears asked, "Any ideas on how a 'death worm' got in the room captain?"

"The perpetrator apparently overpowered one of the nurses and stole the woman's uniform," the Valkyrie replied. "The guards reported admitting a nurse into the room about twenty minutes prior to Mr. Oishi's scream. They were unable to later identify that nurse out of the hospital's staff."

"I take this as a personal affront to Ariadne," Seras told them. "Captain, I want the Valkyries to assume responsibility for this man's safety until his departure."

"Yes ma'am," the captain swiftly responded. "I'll see to it immediately."

Some people seemed cursed to go through life being the focus calamitous events swirled around. Seras was now convinced that "Mr. Oishi" was one such person. Although the assassin from the Old World had uncovered a dangerous spy within the school, the Grandmistress wanted nothing more than to see him safely gone from Ariadne. However, if keeping him locked inside a hospital room didn't work …

"Are there any risks from long term immersion in a CR chamber?" she asked the doctor.

"Theoretically one could remain indefinitely," the physician answered, puzzled by the question. "However, the prolonged isolation effects people like those who have been petrified for a long duration. I certainly couldn't recommend it."

"No, I suppose not," she replied, mildly disappointed.

"Very well, make your arrangements Captain," Seras ordered as she turned to leave. "And keep me informed if the situation changes."

--

**Hellas Empire, Mundus Magicus**

Contrary to the popular image of royalty, being the Third Princess of the Hellas Empire was not an endless round of parties and ribbon cuttings. A great deal of hard work was involved, which made the arrival of a summons to the office of the Praetor Peregrinus, less than welcomed. Theodora scowled as she stormed down the corridor, fist tightly clenched about the offending parchment. Although it was carefully worded as a request, she was a member of the imperial family after all, it left no doubt as to her prompt obedience. Only through exercising great restraint did she avoid ripping the scroll in two.

Praetors were appointed by the Empress, with Her full authority backing them. In theory, not being family members was supposed to remove personal ambition or privilege from the execution of their duties. In practice, one treaded lightly around them or would soon be serving a virtual exile in some backwater province that required "a person of your undeniable talents." This particular praetor acted on the Empress' behalf in disputes with non-citizens of the Empire.

Approaching a set of double doors plated in bronze, the princess slowed to a statelier pace, letting her bodyguards catch their breaths. Halting before the doors, she announced herself, "Princess Theodora Hellas to see Praetor Ioannes Mystecon."

Silently the doors swung open admitting Theodora and her guards. The twin boy and girl, their faces hidden within voluminous hoods, fell back to either side of the doorway, allowing the princess to approach the desk alone. Behind the desk sat the praetor. Like a ram, horns curled back over the man's head and dropped down below his ears. A thick, bushy mustache, with slate grey strands mixed among the black, covered his upper lip.

"What is the meaning of this?" Theodora demanded as she thrust the scroll towards him.

Rising, he addressed the Third Princess. "I apologize for the tone of urgency your Majesty, but I am acting under the express orders of the Empress."

Her scowl vanished and was replaced by a puzzled expression. "What does my mo … I mean the Empress require?"

"Please be seated your Majesty," the praetor said as he indicated a nearby chair. "I am aware of your efforts for the commission untangling the disposition of the Teotanasian estate. After consulting with the Empress, I believe it would be in everyone's best interest to resolve the matter now rather than continue to let it drag out."

"And how do you suggest we do that?" she asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep an edge of irritation from her voice. "The commission has been working non-stop for six months."

"The most expedient solution is to confirm this Asuna," the man glanced down at a paper in front of him, "Ka … Kagura …"

"Kagurazaka," the princess said.

"Yes, thank you. As I was saying the expedient solution is to have this Asuna Kagurazaka confirmed as the Teotanasian heir."

"But that won't settle anything," Theodora said, stunned that such a course would be suggested. "That will only shift responsibility to clean up the mess over to her."

"And free the Empire, and yourself, from expending all this time and energy towards something that is purely a personal matter," the praetor replied.

"My mo … the Empress approved this?" Theodora asked.

"Would we be having this discussion had She not?" he replied. The man let that sink in before continuing. "We will be sending her the necessary documents and of course she'll have to present herself to the court."

'How could mother agree to this?' Theodora asked herself. 'Surely she realizes the danger this puts Asuna in. And if Ricardo, Victoria and I haven't been able to straighten this chaos out, why would a girl unfamiliar with our ways be expected too?'

"It should be wrapped up in no time," Ioannes concluded.

"Who will deliver the summons for presentation?" she asked.

"House Teotanasia has a long and proud history," the man commented. "It would not do to send anyone less than a peer of the realm."

"I understand," the princess agreed. "But who?"

"Well, I thought Marquis Rallentando would be the best choice" he answered. "He is about the young lady's age or so I understand. He should be able to relate to her quite well."

Theodora wasn't sure whether to burst out laughing or cringe at the choice. That Ioannes could have picked anyone less suited for this task was doubtful. 'However, when life hands you lemons,' the princess thought.

"An excellent choice," she declared. "Though I understand the Marquis is on the frontier dealing with the recent disturbances."

"I've already sent word recalling him to the capitol," the praetor remarked.

"I would ask a favor of you then," Theodora said. "Since I am the most familiar with Miss Kagurazaka, may I present the marquis with his instructions?"

"By all means your Majesty," Ioannes happily replied. "By all means."

Wearing her most disarming smile, Theodora began to calculate the time left for her to act. Depending on where the marquis was encamped, Marcato would be a few days in returning to the capitol. 'That should be enough time to get word to Takahata,' she hoped.

--

**Meldiana, Wales**

Thunder rolled down green-covered hillsides to the village of Meldiana, although the sky overhead remained a pristine blue. Used to stranger events, the inhabitants glanced up once and then went back to their daily tasks. Perhaps some student, seated on a hard, wooden bench and half-heartedly listening to the instructor's lecture, wondered about its source. Maybe the self same student would even daydream about being a magister mage smiting demons with a well-aimed lightning bolt; at least until his knuckles were smacked with a ruler wielded by an irate teacher. Such an imaginary battle was not far off the mark.

In a secluded vale, high above the village, two men sparred with staff and sword. Wisps of smoke rose from the scorched ground where Nagi had stood. Eishun was a close friend, but their friendship didn't mean that the swordsman would go easy on him, training or not. Like a stone, the Thousand Master skipped across a running stream to gain the far side. Out of the corner of an eye, he detected the glow as his opponent gathered ki for another of those shinmei-ryu techniques. "Bloody hell,"' the mage cursed through clenched teeth. "Not again."

Desperate for breathing space that Eishun had no intention of giving him, Nagi's gaze latched onto a boulder partially buried in the stream's bank. Without need of reciting a spell, the huge rock jerked free and rushed towards the swordsman even as Nagi began chanting his counter attack.

"**Hekatontakis Kai Kiliakis Astrapsato! KILIPL ASTRAPE!**"

"**Zanganken!**" Eishun channeled ki into a blade of force that split the boulder in two. The air sizzled as lightning bolts converged on the blade wielder only to strike suddenly empty space. Speeding towards Nagi like a runaway train, the swordsman's nodachi slashed forward. "**Raimeiken!**"

Barriers snapped instantly in place about him, but Nagi was still jarred by the force of the man's attack. Reacting a fraction too slow, a follow-up kick sent him sailing into the hillside. Forcing eyes into focus, he found the edge of the blade hovering a bare centimeter from his throat. "Looks like I've got a ways to go still," the former hero panted.

"Just be thankful you're not facing Rakan-san," Eishun remarked as the nodachi slid back into its scabbard.

"Oh I am," Nagi groaned in response. "That idiot would have taken my head off before realizing it. It's a wonder he didn't kill my son during their training."

"What are your plans now?" his friend asked.

"I'm not sure," Nagi answered. "I don't want to slip quietly into the night, but I'm not ready to go public yet."

"What about Negi?"

"What about Negi?" he replied. "My son seems to be doing well without me hanging around. Probably doesn't give me a second thought. I know I wouldn't in his position."

"I never thought to see the day when Nagi Springfield would wallow in self pity," Eishun remarked. "It's not a pretty sight."

"Why thank you," he drolly responded. "It takes a real friend to kick a man when he's down."

"No, but it takes a friend to remind a father of his responsibilities."

"What am I supposed to do?" Nagi snapped. "Show up on his doorstep and say 'Hi kid. I haven't been around the last ten years because I was feeling too sorry for myself, but I'm ready to be your dad now'?"

Sadly he shook his head and muttered, "Yeah, that'd go over real well."

"Do you not want to be Negi's father?"

"Of course I do!" he shouted. "I just don't know how to bridge the gap between us. Maybe if Anna was here to help …"

"About Anna," the swordsman said, "something struck me wrong with those documents Magus Dilane showed us."

Nagi gazed back up at his long-time friend with a questioning look on his face.

"I'm not fluent in Russian, but I do know some," Eishun explained. "That Aeroflot flight departed Vladivostok for Leningrad. Only Leningrad switched back to being Saint Petersburg two years before, in '91."

"I've also heard second-hand that an unidentified woman with reddish-brown hair used a silver ring to procure a friend for Negi," the swordsman continued while reaching into his robes.

_For a moment, Nagi stood high above Ariadne, on a parapet of its City Hall. In the distance lay the famed 'Bridge to Everywhere'. Next to him stood a girl who watched as passengers boarded one of the whale-like transports docked at the bridge. Anna Adenauer was about his age with reddish-brown hair and a faint scent, like freshly ground clove, hung about her. _

"_How's your cheek feeling?" the girl asked though he couldn't tell whether it was concern or amusement that colored her voice._

"_Its feeling better," he answered. "I am sorry about my friend's behavior on the bus. Jack gets a little carried away at times but he doesn't mean any harm."_

"_I can handle old perverts like him," Anna responded and then continued to quietly gaze on the cityscape._

_Wearing armor that identified her as a member of the city's elite Valkyrie Brigade, Nagi could well believe her boast. Especially after being on the receiving end of one of her slaps. Ala Rubra had come to enlist the Valkyries for a final assault on Ostia. Jack had been amusing himself and, true to form, tried to snatch a pair of panties belonging to a squad leader of all people. Desperately he hoped to smooth over a potential rough spot._

"_Still I don't want you to think that … that we're all like that Miss Adenauer."_

"_Oh," the girl replied with a raised eyebrow that brought a blush to his face._

"_No," Nagi stammered like a flustered school boy. "We're not."_

"_You know, my squad mates are going to be so jealous when they hear of all the attention I've gotten from the Great Nagi Springfield," she commented. "They'll think I've enchanted you."_

_It was his turn to smile in amusement, prompting Anna to accuse, "You don't think I can?" She held up her hand to show a plain, sliver band around a slender finger. _

"_This is a pledge ring," the girl explained. "Swear an oath by this and you'll have no choice but to fulfill it."_

"_I've heard of artifacts like that," Nagi said, "But I thought they were extremely rare."_

"_Well … this one is limited," Anna admitted. "It's only useful when pledging eternal friendship and such."_

_An awkward silence settled over the two teens as eyes once again sought the city below. Nagi racked his brain for several futile minutes trying to come up a witty response that had nothing to do with how large the mage knight's breasts were. Finally he settled for, "So if I promise that I'm your friend, will you believe me?"_

_Anna didn't say a word as her hand sought out his. The Valkyrie's lips pulled back into a smile as their fingers laced together._

Returning to the present, he watched as Eishun carefully unfolded a molded sheet of paper covered in letters resembling Greek.

"That same woman was apparently practicing her Russian," his companion said.

Nagi stared at the scrap until his eyes ached, but it refused to divulge its secrets. "What does it say?"

"It's a name," Eishun told him. "Anastasia Regina Karkolova."

"Karkolova?" a stunned Nagi repeated. "But that's the …"

"That's the current Speaker of the Council of Mages," the other man finished.

They stood for several minutes before Nagi asked "When is the next gate crossing?"

"In three days at the Potala Palace in Lhasa," Eishun swiftly answered.

"Let's get back to town," the mage said as features transformed into those of a boy named Takeshi. "I've always wanted to visit Tibet."

--

**Mahora, Japan**

As Phillip entered the local Starbooks, he felt torn. On one hand, the teacher was thrilled to have found Zazie after five years. The odds that the girl who had saved his life in Kosovo was one of his student's were more than astronomical. So miraculous was it that the American had to admit that Father Tomatsu's argument for trusting faith over probabilities was completely justified. Yet as wonderful as this was, he was still left with a dilemma about Madoka.

Forced to admit his own feelings for the girl, Phillip had to make difficult choice. Continuing to pursue their friendship meant inviting more trouble and eventually leaving Mahora under a cloud of disgrace. It was easy enough to see that he should step back and keep a proper distance between them. But did he want to?

'You're old enough to be her father Phillip,' he mentally scolded. 'What can you really offer Madoka?'

"Hello Markham-san," the dark-haired woman behind the counter greeted. "One tall, vanilla latte?"

"I feel like celebrating Yamuri-san," he answered. "Let's make it a grande."

"Sounds like a great idea," another voice chimed in. "I'll take the same."

"Hello Miss Asakura," Phillip greeted his student.

Carrying their drinks outside, the pair found an empty table on the patio and sat down. "Did you and Miss Yukihiro work out that financial matter of yours?" he asked.

"Financial matter … oh that," she responded. "Yes, I'm very satisfied with how that turned out."

"In a way," she continued, "I guess I have you to thank for it."

"Markham-san, Markham-san," a new voice called out and both Phillip and Kazumi watched as a blonde-haired teen approached, waving a yellow slip in the air.

"Well if it isn't Mason-san," the reporter said. "How's the mailroom job going?"

"It's not as bad as some I've had," the newcomer answered as he halted before their table. "I'm glad I found you Markham-san."

"This came to the girl's dormitory," the young man explained while holding out the slip of paper. "Probably because they still thought you were the dorm advisor."

Phillip stared down at the unfamiliar characters that might as well have been hieroglyphics. "Maybe I can have Negi-san read this for me."

"It's a notice that a shipment for you has arrived at the Port of Tokyo," Mason-san said.

"That's strange," he replied. "I wasn't expecting anything."

"Well it was shipped from the Port of Los Angeles," the younger man added. "And you can pick it up at the Roro terminal."

"Roro?" Phillip asked. "What kind of name is that?"

"It stands for roll on/roll off," Mason explained. "They use that terminal for cars, trucks and other vehicles."

A sudden whoop caught both of his companions by surprise. "It's here already," the teacher exclaimed.

"What's here?" Kazumi asked.

"The bike," he answered. "My friend Steve, Mister Carlson, gave me his old motorcycle. That's got to be it."

Phillip looked thoughtful for a moment. "Now if I only knew how to get there."

"I can take you there sensei," his student offered. "We can go tomorrow after class."

"Thank you Miss Asakura."

Kazumi glanced at her watch. "It's time for the exchange," she said. "I need to get over to the temple."

"Exchange?" the man from the mailroom asked at the same time Phillip offered to accompany the reporter.

"Don't worry about it Mason-san," the red-head replied as she hurriedly finished her coffee.

As Luke Mason watched the teacher and student leave, a man at a neighboring table called him. "Excuse me kid, but I couldn't help overhearing."

The stranger spoke with a distinct wheeze and Luke noticed the man's nose was bent to the side. "Do you know if that Roro terminal is by the Shingami terminal?"

"No, I think it's over by the Aomi terminal," he answered.

"Thanks," the other man replied and then departed, leaving a half filled cup behind.

Luke shook his head and threw the cup into a nearby trash bin before walking back to the mailroom.

--

Yuna flopped down on the couch in her dormitory room and quickly slid off her shoes. Life in Mahora was always hectic, but the last 24 hours had been something straight out of a manga. Joining in the search for Konoka's kidnapped boyfriend, making a pactio with Negi-kun, losing and regaining her homeroom teacher; her head was spinning like one of those revolving doors.

Just a short time ago, she had to do some fast talking to diffuse another potential disaster. After nearly leaving over kissing one of his students, her homeroom teacher had been observed hugging another, by the class rumormonger no less. Fortunately, Haruna accepted the story of how sensei met Zazie and later saved the girl from an attempted rape. However, Misa remained skeptical for some reason.

'I did what I could,' Yuna told herself and then wondered about her own unexpected anger at watching the two embrace. Thinking back to last summer, the experience was similar to how it felt when she mistook her father's lunch date with Miss McGuiness for a romantic rendezvous. Upset with her father for betraying her mothers' memory, the teen had acted like a complete idiot. And when she tried to do the mature thing by giving the couple her blessing, they broke out in laughter. In the end, it didn't matter if her dad had been dating the English woman anymore than her giving Negi-kun a kiss …

A guilty pang caused the girl to sit upright and grab the card from her pocket. Dressed in the costume she had worn for the Mage vs. Mars event, a grinning Yuna, striking a runner's pose, stared back at her. In the figure's right hand was clutched the needle gun she had received at the festival while the grenade launcher was holstered to a leg. A black glove encased the character's left hand and extended up its arm until blocked from view by the torso.

Never having been interested in dating, very few boys had ever been around long enough for her father to get concerned. This card, evidence of becoming a ministra mage, represented something much more serious than going out for a movie and pizza. It wasn't only a kiss; Yuna had fought for her partner's life and had nearly died as a result. How was her father going to take that?

'Maybe I could make his favorite dinner,' she considered. And then at the proper moment, casually announce 'I've made a pactio with Negi-kun.'

'That's fantastic!' her dad would reply. 'Negi's a fine, young man. I'm sure you'll both be happy together.'

Palm slapped against forehead. "That's so not going to happen," the teen moaned as the front door opened and Akira walked inside, carrying an armload of drink bottles.

"We had some leftovers," the tall girl announced as she set the containers down. Eyes widened in shock as her roommate's gaze fell on the card in Yuna's hand. "Is that what I think it is?"

Hesitantly, she nodded yes.

"When did you …?"

"Yesterday," Yuna answered. "With Negi-kun."

Moving to the couch, Akira dropped onto the unoccupied cushion.

"We went to rescue Konoka-san's boyfriend," she tried to explain. "He had been kidnapped by a couple of that Fate guy's ministra."

Lines of worry furrowed the other girl's face as Yuna continued to speak. "I think Negi-kun was trying to protect me."

"Making a pactio isn't something you do lightly," Akira told her. "This isn't a power up before the boss battle."

"I know that!" Yuna turned away and pulled knees tight against her chest. "Geez! Why does everyone assume I'm not serious?"

"I want to help Negi-kun and protect my home as much as anyone else," she sighed. "I want to get better and I 'm trying as hard as I can, yet everyone laughs at my efforts."

A hand gently gripped her shoulder. "I'm not laughing," Akira said. "But you rarely treated anything besides basketball seriously. It takes a little getting used to.

"Yeah. I guess you're right."

"How can I help?"

"What can you tell me about pactio cards?" Yuna asked.

"I only have a very basic knowledge," Akira answered. "The magister mage can lend you some of his strength and you two can communicate through the cards. I've heard you can even teleport with them."

"That's too cool," she excitedly responded. "What about an artifact?"

"Not every pactio produces an artifact," her roommate said. "But each of Negi-sensei's has. May I take a look?"

Yuna eagerly handed her card over and waited with baited breath as the swimmer gazed at it. "I recognize your guns," her friend remarked, "but what is that on your hand?"

"I don't know. Could it be an artifact?"

"Only one way to find out," Akira replied while handing the card back. "Try to summon it."

"Um, how do …?"

"Hold onto the card and in a clear voice say 'Adeat'," she was instructed.

"**Adeat**."

The school uniform vanished, replaced by the costume from the card, complete with guns. Black metal, with what looked like orange flames painted on it, covered the girl's left arm from finger tips to elbow. "Whoa," she whispered in an awestruck tone. Razor sharp claws moved as the gloved hand flexed. Twin spikes rose from midway down her forearm and jutted past her wrist.

"This is so wicked … like in Final Fantasy," she remarked while grinning from ear to ear. Glancing over at Akira, the grin vaporized. "Of course that's a video game."

"What's that for?" the other girl asked while pointing at a tube that ran almost the length of Yuna's arm.

Extending her arm forward, Yuna sighted on a cushion lying on the floor. "Maybe it's some kind of gun," she said while feeling around for a button or switch. Lifting her palm up, they heard a whoosh as a jet of fire shot out and set the innocent pillow ablaze. As Akira jumped from the couch and began beating at the flames, Yuna gazed at her artifact. 'My own firaga,' she gloated as another grin forced its way to her lips. 'This is much better than Final Fantasy.'

--

"You finally cornered him huh," Haruna said with a knowing smirk. "I guess Makie's next."

Choosing to ignore the leering mangaka, Yuna stared at Yue as the other girl flipped another page of a thick, leather bound tome. At Akira's suggestion, she had gone to her fellow ministra in hopes of learning more about her artifact and to "spare the rest of our furnishings" as her roommate phrased it.

"Ah ha," the tiny researcher cried. "It's called the Serpens Manus."

Yue held up her own artifact which showed a picture of the gauntlet with a small block of text in western-style letters. Yuna squinted at the unfamiliar words. "What does it say?"

"Unfortunately, the writing is Latin," Yue answered. "I'll have to find a translation; however, the name means the serpent's hand."

"Since when do serpents have hands?" she wondered.

"So what was kissing Negi-kun like?" Haruna asked.

Recalling how the gossip pulled her chain back at the Golden Week party, Yuna slapped a confused expression on. "Kiss?" she replied in a puzzled tone. "You mean you two only kissed?"

Turning her back on a slack-jawed Haruna, she winked at Yue before continuing, "I'll have to ask Negi-kun why we … oh, never mind."

--

"And I'm hoping that by using your artifact, you can help me figure out why I'm having these bad dreams," Asuna said.

Nodoka pursed her lips together in thought. If Asuna's dreams were anything like what the mind reader experienced during her time as the Mage of the Beginning's captive, it was no wonder that her classmate had problems sleeping. Even after they were well away from Ostia, the other girl continued to toss and turn throughout the night, except for the times when Negi slept in the same bed. "When did these bad dreams start?"

"At the beginning of the school year," Asuna answered.

'The time she and Negi stopped sharing a room,' Nodoka realized. Obviously the boy's presence had a calming effect, but on what? And why Negi? That Asuna liked … no, loved … their former teacher was as clear as the nose on the bell-wearing girl's face. Where those feelings responsible or was it something else? Maybe something related to the memories encoded within the Teotanasian blood?

Finding out what that link was might help Asuna, not to mention it would obviate the need for the girl and Negi to sleep together. While she was willing to share the boy with her friend Yue, joining a harem was not the happy ending Nodoka wanted.

"Of course I'll help you," the book lover replied. "When do you want to do this?"

"Would tonight be too soon?"

--

**A/N: The chapter heading and title are from Final Fantasy X2 ****while "firaga" is common spell within the series. The term CR chamber is from the Transformers TV show, but the idea has been a science fiction staple for a long, long time.**

**IHS stands for Imperial Hellas Ship. Rakan was said to have destroyed several imperial ships in chapter 238, including a super dreadnaught. **

**Lots of foreign words and phrases.**

**Audacia = boldness, courage or audacity (Latin)**

**Collegium = several persons bound by a common office or purpose (Latin)**

**Medicus = doctor (Latin)**

**Necro = death (Greek), skuliki = worm (Greek), think of a hookworm on steroids and you'll have an idea of what the death worm is like.**

**Debilito = incapacitate or deprive of power (Latin)**

**Congelo = chill or render inactive (Latin)**

**Nagi's spell appears in long form in chapter 238. ****"Hekatontakis Kai Kiliakis Astrapsato! KILIPL ASTRAPE!" is translated as "Hurl down lightning one hundred times and even one thousand times! THOUSAND THUNDERBOLTS!"**

**Cryobiosis is a term for halting an organism's metabolic processes by lowering the temperature.**

**Praetors were high officials w****ithin Roman Government, second in power only to the Consuls. Peregrinos were foreigners or non-citizens of the empire.**

**Dark Dragon Dave, a contributor to this section, drew the Serpens Manus for me close to two years ago, and I finally got around to using it. Thank you Dave. If you're interested, it's on photobucket but this site doesn't like embedding links.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Well, well well. This chapter turned out to be considerably longer than I intended, but the more I delved into Asuna's past, the more I wanted to explore. Elements from both the manga and "Ala Alba in the World of Magic" have been included. I owe a large debt to MakuhariFan-01 for helping me to improve this chapter.**

**Negima and its character belong to Ken Akamatsu. Arjuent Teotanasia, Kush'Na Teotanasia and Kurt'Wa Ffyfnon were created by MakuhariFan-01. Other characters that appear are of my invention. As for FBAO, blame AnsemMan for getting me started.**

**The following conventions are used: **"words", 'thoughts', -telepathy-, _reading_, and **"spells." **

**Of Things Past**

… _and bear unfaltering, in the tiny and almost impalpable drop of their essence, the vast structure of recollection_ – Marcel Proust

-1-

**Mahora, Japan**

A soft moan escaped from between Asuna's lips as the pajama-clad teen tossed and turned on the narrow bed. Nodoka looked on with mounting concern. 'Just like in the Mundus Magicus," the mind reader thought to herself. A fleeting idea to summon Negi via the pactio card came to her, but she shook it away. Holding her artifact before her, the girl named 'bookstore' whispered, "Kagurazaka Asuna."

Letting go of the magic tome, it floated in place. Gently she opened the cover and flipped to the first blank page. Even after possessing the diary for more than a year, Nodoka was still amazed when black lines seemed to rise up through the paper. A little girl with twin pig tails was shackled to a floor inscribed with a large spell circle while three robed men stood behind. Instantly she recognized the four-year-old Princess Asuna. Words, written by an unseen hand, appeared next.

"There's nothing else for it," the figure closest to the child said. "We'll have to make use of her again."

"But she's so young," a second remarked. "The poor thing."

"You fool! Don't be deceived by its appearance," the third man vehemently exclaimed. "This is no human. Consider it a weapon."

'A weapon? Not human?' Nodoka angrily thought. For a moment the girl recalled watching Negi's memories from an age similar to the young princess. She had grieved for the boy who lived alone in a cabin and drew pictures of a father he had never known. But this was far worse.

'I posses nothing,' the princess' thought appeared on the page, as flat and emotionless as Nodoka imagined the child would have uttered. 'I am nobody.'

" … It's a monster," the third speaker declared at the end of his rant.

"Ar …g," the child gasped as power whipped through her like a scourge. "Aaagghhhhhh!"

"Defense field," the first man shouted. A phosphorescent glow came through the openings in the tower's upper floor. Multiple giants, the divine warriors used by the Magic World militaries, surrounded the structure.

"Uwaa!" the leader of the spell circle cried as one of the war machines reached out with a huge hand. A flash engulfed the mechanized construct, severing it in two. As the pieces crashed to the ground, three men flew into the chamber. One wore the hood of his robe up, covering his head. Another carried a nodachi that reminded Nodoka of the one Setsuna bore. The third grasped a staff resembling a jagged bolt of lightning.

'Imma-san, Konoe-san,' she recognized. 'And Nagi-san.'

"No need to haul a kid like that into battle. You can leave the rest to me."

"Y … you're from Ala Rubra," the lead mage gasped. "… The one with a thousand spells…"

"That's right! I'm Nagi Springfield!" the staff-armed youngster arrogantly proclaimed. "Also known as the Thousand Master!"

"He said it out himself," the swordsman commented to his hooded companion.

"Fufufu, he's totally into this," Imma-san observed.

Ignoring the robed men, Nagi knelt in front of the girl. Chains snapped as he asked "Yo young lady, what's your name?"

"Na … me?" she asked as if the meaning of the word had been forgotten. An odd feeling as if the child had known this stranger all of her life came over Asuna and for a moment her mood brightened as the princess answered, "Asuna … Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia Enteofushia."

"That's one long name," Nagi commented with his trademark grin in evidence. "Asuna huh? That's a good name. Right then Asuna. You just wait there."

Standing, he turned to his companions. "Let's go Al! Eishun!"

"Okay, okay," the swordsman replied in a tone that indicated Eishun had long ago learned the futility of arguing with his young friend.

"The enemies are all small fry," the Thousand Master proclaimed. "Just taking them out of commission is enough!"

"Here we go again," Al remarked before all three men flew back into the fray.

-1-

It was a fine, spring-like day as the princess sat on a park bench. Behind the child, Nodoka could see the immense palace of what she knew as Old Ostia. As impressive as that view was, Asuna displayed keener interest in the people around her: families on an afternoon outing, couples strolling hand in hand and any number of children her age who laughed as they chased each other or splashed in one of the fountains.

Wearing the same tattered robe he had fought the invaders in, Nagi Springfield approached holding what was to his young charge an unfamiliar object in either hand, a cone-shaped biscuit piled high with a white, creamy substance. "Here you go," the youthful warrior said as he held one of the fanciful concoctions out to her.

Asuna grasped the cone and stared as if that would bring comprehension. Gooey drops rolled down the side and on to her fist. "It feels cold."

"It tastes good though," Nagi remarked and then scooped a large quantity onto his tongue. "Eat up before it melts."

"You can eat this?" Asuna asked.

"Sure you can," her companion replied and as the boy glanced at her confused expression, Nodoka could see a stunned look dawn on his face. "You don't even know about ice cream?"

"This is ice cream okay?" Nagi explained. "Ice cream."

"Ice … cr …cream?"

"Whoa! You're seriously not putting this on, are you? Just how sheltered can you get?"

"I have never been outside the palace except for the times they took me to the tower," the little girl replied. Emboldened, she tried a lick and found the ice cream cold … and sweet.

"No princess! Don't!" Nagi tried to stop her but Asuna devoured a mouthful. Moments later, the mind reader winced in sympathy as a tiny hand pushed against forehead.

After the cold induced headache passed, it didn't take the youngster long to master the fine art of eating an ice cream cone. Grinning again, Nagi handed her several napkins and declared "All right, that does it! I'm gonna take you around the city today! Now!"

"Um …" she started to say but he cut her objections off.

"You're gonna rule this place one day, right?" Nagi asked. "You should at least know what it looks like."

"O … okay."

"Yeah! And one day I'll take you to Kyoto!"

"Kyoto?"

"It's the city a friend of mine comes from," the Thousand Master enthusiastically explained. "Nobody will know who we are in the old world, after all! It's a promise! Okay princess?"

-1-

"Wake up princess," the line in the diary read.

A picture formed of a man with a long, sharp nose and a bristly, white mustache. A pointed cap rested atop his head and even without the pipe, Nodoka recognized the mage who had stood at Nekane's side as the two saved Negi's life.

"St … Stan … Stanley?" Asuna replied as fists rubbed sleepy eyes. "What …?"

The old mage put a finger to his lips and whispered, "I'm going to take you to Nagi now."

"Nagi?" Asuna's tired voice asked. "But … but Papa …?"

"You're Papa knows Nagi's coming for you," Stanley told her and hustled the princess out of bed. A section of the wall hung open, door-like, revealing a darkened passageway.

"Wait," the girl said. "I still have my pajamas on."

"Later," the overwrought man answered. "We don't want to keep Nagi waiting."

"Is Nagi taking me to Kyoto?" she asked.

"I wouldn't doubt it," her father's chamberlain, showing signs of increasing agitation, answered. "Now, we've got to be as quiet as mice or we won't be able to meet him. Understand?"

Asuna nodded and stepped into the hidden passage. Closing the wall plunged them into total darkness. Stanley led a short distance before he produced a mundane flashlight. She started to ask why he hadn't just used a spell when the old man motioned for silence. They continued down the dusty corridor and though the youngster had a thousand questions in dire need of answers, the desire to see Nagi proved stronger than her curiosity.

The days following her release from the chains were the happiest ones the princess could recall. All three members of Ala Rubra had taken turns showing her around Ostia, even the city's outer islands. Clasping tightly to Nagi's hand, Asuna had gazed upon father's summer palace. The child had never seen it before, nor the great aerial port jammed with freighters, cruise ships and private yachts.

Nagi had pointed to one of the berthed ships, painted to resemble a gold fish. "That's ours," he proudly exclaimed.

In response, Nodoka stared closely at the picture. 'That looks like … no, it must be my imagination,' the mind reader decided before returning to the unfolding story.

Yes, they were happy days, but had ended far too soon when Ala Rubra was called away to another front of the war. The emptiness returned the day their ship flew away. While Nagi had made Papa promise not to chain her in the tower anymore, Asuna spent the days confined to her rooms. For her own safety it was explained.

Stanley halted and bent his ear to the wall and listened for what seemed like an eternity. "You've been marvelously patient princess," the mage praised. "I need you to remain so a little while longer."

"I'm going to signal Nagi that you're ready, but I need you to wait here," he said. "Can you do that for me?"

She gazed up at the man with her mismatched eyes and asked that one question all children seem to know by instinct. "Why?"

The old mage looked rattled at first, but a moment later a conspiratorial smile appeared. "We're playing a little game princess," he answered. "We're on one team and we'll win the game by reaching Nagi. There's a second team of men that will win if they keep you from Nagi. You want to win don't you?"

Quickly she nodded her head in agreement. "Then I'll go find Nagi and bring him here," Stanley promised. "I may be gone awhile so you have to stay right here. Alright princess?"

Again she nodded. "Good girl," the pipe smoking mage said and then left through another door in the wall. Darkness, like that of a tomb, descended upon the young girl. How she waited and waited, but Stanley didn't return. Asuna tried to find the catch her guide had used, but it eluded her search. Deciding that she could wait no longer, the princess groped her way down the passage until she came to another section of wall outlined with light. Following her guide's example, the girl pressed an ear to the crack and strained to hear.

"The time to act is now your Majesty," a cold and arrogant sounding voice said. "Ala Rubra and the combined fleets of Hellas, Mesembria and Ariadne are almost upon your doorstep."

"Damn!" King Enteofushia swore. "You and these others were supposed to protect me Averruncus!"

"And so we shall," the first voice replied. "But it will require us to summon the Life Giver. Her power can destroy your enemies."

"What happens to the princess?" her father asked.

"She'll probably die," the answer came. "But what matter? If we fail, she's no good to you or anyone else."

"Very well," the king replied and something stirred within the emptiness of Asuna's soul, something that caused the child to shudder in response. "Fetch the girl here."

"The princess is gone," a new voice announced. This was followed by a thud and "But I've found our spy."

"Stanley?" the king exclaimed in amazement. "You idiot! This is my chamberlain!"

Ignoring the king's comment, the first voice demanded, "Where's the princess old man?"

"On her way to Ala Rubra," the mage chuckled and was then racked by a spat of coughing.

"You … you traitor!" her father shouted. "How could you turn on me?"

Asuna heard the spasms of pain as the chamberlain wheezed in response. "I could have abided it if you were merely ambitious," Stanley answered. "But when you poisoned your wife and had her maid and butler murdered for it, I realized that any of us who served you would receive the same, tender consideration. And then when you surrounded yourself with these Total World fanatics … uhn!"

"Liar!" the first voice proclaimed. "You couldn't have smuggled her past our sentries. The child is still in the palace."

'Papa murdered Mama?' Asuna's eyes clenched together as the girl struggled for breath. Beginning at the base of her spine, where it laid coiled serpent-like, that unidentified something slithered upwards and swelled larger as it rose. Nodoka could feel both fear and anger swell within the girl's chest as the urge to strike out blindly consumed the youngster.

Suddenly, a grip, icy cold like a biting nor 'eastern, spun the princess about as a presence blacker than the passageway loomed over her. When two, reddish dots shone down, the child shrieked. Rough hands seized Asuna, tucked her under an arm and opened the hidden hatch.

Her father stood in the center of the court room with Stanley lying prostrate at his feet. Four men, strangers all, formed a semi-circle between the king and the door. The man carrying Asuna was hidden within a dark robe trimmed with a stiff fabric of gold thread.

Nodoka felt a shiver run up her spine as she recognized the demonic-looking mage as one of Fate's followers. And didn't that white-haired boy resemble an older looking Fate?

"Asuna?" the king said as his face turned ashen. Her returning gaze was one of hurt that swiftly smoothed out into an expression void of emotion.

"Good work Irkalla," a white-haired teen remarked and then turned back to her father. "There isn't any time to lose your Majesty. We must get the princess to the Gravekeeper's Palace and perform the ritual of returning."

"What of him?" King Enteofushia asked as he pointed to his former official.

"Bromius," the one named Averruncus called and another of the men stretched a hand over Stanley. Sparks snapped and popped, engulfing the mustachioed mage with their crackling energy.

"Let him wait here and watch as his friends are obliterated," the teen answered.

A hearse-black transport rose from the pad and carefully glided through a field of floating rocks. Closer the ship drew to a fantastic structure that was surely the main boss lair. 'If only the final boss was the standard Frickin' Badass Overlord type popular in video games,' Nodoka wished. However, first-hand experience had proven that the Life Giver was infinitely worse than a demented kappa.

Grand in scale with glossy, black towers soaring majestically skyward, the palace was a breathtaking marvel to behold, resembling Gothic Cathedrals the library explorer had seen pictures of. Yet at the same time, Nodoka sensed the doom-laden atmosphere that pervaded the place. Disembarking from the vessel, the group marched through an open set of doors and the mind reader felt as if they were walking into a gigantic beast's mouth.

Reaching their goal, Asuna was positioned in the center of a great hall and currents of air held her firmly in place. Averruncus and his four associates took up positions about the captive girl while her father stood outside their circle. An eddy of wind started circling the chamber as each of her captors began to glow. Bromius, the man who had ensorcelled Stanley, thrust forth an arm and a lance of lightning struck the child. Each man in turn raised his arm and launched a shaft of energy at her. Bolt after bolt rained upon the child as the wind intensified with every blow until it roared like a gale.

"Now your Majesty!" somebody shouted. "Use the control key!"

Pain greater than any she had felt before when her power was invoked ripped through the princess' body and drove the air from her lungs. "Asuna … Vesperina …" she dimly heard above the shrieking gale.

'Nagi,' the little girl's mind called out. 'Where are you?'

"… Teotanasia …"

'Why didn't you come for me like you promised?'

"… Enteofushia!"

'Liar!' Asuna's anguished cry wailed in response.

Jagged spears of lightning pounded the floor turning the world dazzling white. A smear of darkness appeared within the light and grew larger as it approached until it transformed into a figure cloaked by a billowing robe of shadows. A voice as pitiless as the grave issued from the nightmarish being. "Twilight Imperial Princess … descendant of mine," the voice called as a hand reached out for her. "It is time for you to fulfill your original purpose."

-1-

Monster … unloved … empty … alone. Words rose menacingly around a tiny girl too numb to care if they should topple over and crush her. How she wished the world would just go away. Papa had Mama poisoned, the bad people had won the game and Nagi would never come. Had she tears to shed, Asuna would have wept.

"I am nothing," Asuna recited the mantra that had sustained her through all the times chained in the tower. Being nothing meant that those in control of the spell circle didn't abuse the child in their care in order to release her power. Being nothing meant that the death of others didn't lie heavily on said child's conscious. Being nothing meant escaping the responsibility for having to feel.

The terrifying figure in the robes had called Asuna a descendant and claimed she had a purpose to fulfill. At the creature's touch it vanished, leaving the girl drained and wrapped within a lethargic cocoon.

"Why struggle?" unseen voices whispered seductively into the princess' ears. "Stop pretending you exist."

"I am nothing."

"This world is a lie, your Papa and Mama were lies," they insisted. "All is an illusion, a dream that will fade in the morning."

"I am nothing."

"Let go little one," the voices urged. "Let go and drift away."

"I am …"

"Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia," a cheerful voice interrupted, banishing the whispers with its sound.

"Who?" she cried. Swiveling her head about, Asuna found a boy with snowy-white hair, though he appeared to be only a few years older than she was. He smiled and tiny ovals of red colored cheeks where the corners of his mouth crinkled.

"You are Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia," he repeated.

"No," the princess replied. "I mean who are you?"

"The answer to that could take longer than the time we have left to act," the boy answered. "Call me Kozimos."

"Why are you here Kozimos? Are you a friend?"

"No, I am far from a friend," he answered. "I'm here because Nagi Springfield asked me to help you."

"Nagi?" the child glumly responded. "Nagi's not coming for me. None of this is real."

"No princess, it is the enemy's hope that you'll accept their warped view of the world," Kozimos said. "This is our reality and Nagi is battling to reach you; however, he is in danger of losing if you don't do something."

"What can I do?" she numbly asked.

"You can believe in your own existence for a start," he answered as his expression grew serious. "Stop accepting all of the lies the Life Giver and her minions would pass off as the truth."

"The Life Giver? Who …?" Asuna started to ask and then paused in recognition. "The one in the dark robe."

"That's her," the white-haired boy declared. "The Life Giver would have you think of yourself as no more than a bowl or cup, a hollow space to fill as she pleases."

"Even now the Life Giver is using your body to fight Nagi and keep him from you," Kozimos explained.

"I can't …"

"Unlearn all of those lies," his voice snapped in frustration. Stepping towards her, Kozimos placed his palm atop her head. "Remember."

-1-

Nodoka watched as an image of two women walking furtively down a narrow street lit by a single, sputtering torch appeared on the opposite page. One of the figures was an elf, judging by ears that stuck straight out from the sides of her head, and carried a bundle tightly against her chest. The other was human by all appearances and wore a sword buckled to her hip.

"That's the blade Asuna brought back from the Mundus Magicus," the teen recalled. "Then that must be one of her ancestors."

"Where are we going my lady?" the elf asked.

"To Argyre Selene," the sword bearer answered. "My late husband's family will shelter us."

"Should we not have informed Lord Enteofushia?"

"Why?" the warrior replied. "He'd never allow us to leave Ostia."

"I don't know about that," a new line appeared as several figures became visible on the page. "I can be quite reasonable."

A bearded man dressed in rich robes led a score of armored knights. An oily smile that made Nodoka feel in need of a bath twisted the stranger's lips. "Isn't that right Arjuent?"

The woman's hand fell to a sword hilt stamped with a pattern resembling a chimera, but she made no other move of resistance.

"You spurned my offer of a marriage alliance …" the man said.

"My husband is not dead yet two months Lord Dardanus," Arjuent interjected.

"… and if you wish to leave Ostia, I'll accept your abdication in your daughter's favor," he continued in a haughty manner. "You are free to go but the princess will remain as my ward."

Arjuent smiled in return and several of the guardsmen edged cautiously away. "And you expect this paltry number to stop me?"

"It is sufficient," Dardanus answered and then ordered, "Seize them!"

Magic energy glowed around the armed men only to be snuffed out by the Teotanasian Queen's power. Soundlessly she unsheathed her sword and leapt forward. Caliburn flashed silver in the flickering light and twenty men lay groaning on the ground, each felled by the flat of Arjuent's blade. Realizing his danger too late, Dardanus attempted to draw his own sword only to halt as a sharp, steel tip pricked the skin above the man's Adam's apple.

"I think not my lord regent," the swordswoman replied as her mouth pulled back in a snarl of rage.

"I hold you responsible for Berild's death," she whispered as the blade pressed further into her enemy's throat.

Selene," she called out to her servant. "The postern is around that corner. You and Aricia go on ahead while I bid the Lord a fond farewell."

As the elf and her child passed out of sight, Arjuent stared at Dardanus with a cold fury. "I would gladly slit your throat," she quietly declared. "But then another just like you would become regent. I'll not condemn my daughter to yours or any other Enteofushian filth's care."

"You've usurped my crown; wear it well and rule as if your life depended on it Dardanus," she warned. "For if I hear my subjects are being abused, I'll hunt you down and carve the wergild from your miserable hide."

-1-

"And so Aricia Euphorbea Teotanasia, daughter of Arjuent Teotanasia and Berild Euphorbus, inherited the domain of Argyre upon the death of her uncle, Polus Euphorbus," the woman recited. "Our ancestor Aricia is the person I was named for." Glancing from the book across her lap, Aricia looked down at the napping child. Cautiously the woman set their family history aside and tucked a sheet under her daughter's chin.

A polite knock announced the arrival of afternoon tea. The door opened as Helene, her personal maid, wheeled a cart in. Helene and Erwin Godel had been in her family's employ for years and Aricia was happy to have the familiarity when the bride to be travelled to Ostia; now they were the only servants in the palace she dared trust.

Before the woman could speak, Aricia put a finger to her lips in a motion for quite. Frau Godel nodded in understanding and poured a cup of the steaming beverage. Normally steady as a rock, the servant's hand trembled so much that tea sloshed over the rim. There was a tautness about the maid that reminded her of a rope pulled so tightly that its strands would part at any second. "What's wrong," she mouthed silently.

"Don't drink the tea," Helene mouthed back in response. "Mandragora."

Known for being a deadly toxin, Mandragora poison was a soporific in minute amounts. Many had died from 'accidental' poisoning while drinking what they thought was a sleeping draught.

Aricia's lips formed a single word, "Who?"

"Let me help you to a chair your Majesty," Helene said aloud. "Your husband is concerned about your health. I've heard the king voice several times that you aren't getting enough rest."

"How is your son doing?" Aricia asked as she let herself be seated. "I understand Kurt started at the Magorium this term."

A single tear fell down the maid's cheek that Helene quickly wiped away. "All of his instructors report excellent progress," the woman replied while fussing over her and Aricia realized that the young boy's life had been threatened to secure his mother's cooperation. "Erwin and I are very proud of Kurt."

"You may leave now Helene," Aricia said in dismissal. "Tell my husband that I will take better care."

Once the distraught servant had left, she rose and stood over the child's bed. Her days were numbered and that realization prompted Aricia to take the final step she had been so ambivalent about. As the Imperial Princess of the Twilight, her daughter may be destined to become the means by which the Mage of the Beginning could return, but Asuna would not stand alone. That boy who had wanted to drop out from the academy was of Ffyfnon's blood and that bond, since its birth during the First Crisis, had never failed. Energy gathered steadily as she bent over the tiny princess and reluctantly wove her spell.

"**Per mei imperium**," Aricia softly chanted. "**Appello tui Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia exsisto**."

-1-

"Mama," Asuna breathed as the vision faded.

"Did your mother love nothing?" Kozimos asked.

"I," she said and then stumbled to find the right words. "I want to help."

"Then we must hurry," he stated. "I will cast a spell that will seal the Life Giver, but you must fight against her possession."

"But I don't know how," she cried.

"Believe in who you are."

Aricia Anar'shia's Teotanasia's final words sprang to her mind. Words that changed who she was. "I am … Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia."

"Say it again princess," her companion demanded. "And with more conviction."

"I am Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia," she responded a little louder.

"Again!"

"I am Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia …"

-1-

Her prison of lights melted and flowed, until it transformed into a bizarre landscape of floating rocks and mystic symbols surrounded by a curtain of darkness. Gazing through the Life Giver's eyes, Asuna saw a hand enveloped with a miasma of magic fling forward and release a bolt of energy at a madly grinning Nagi. As the young hero dodged the attack, the bolt blasted a rock into so many dust motes. Odd shifts in illumination threw shadows at the rushing boy, coloring him black as coal. Power coalesced about the hand for another strike.

'Stop!' the princess commanded. 'Don't hurt him!'

'Useless child!' the Life Giver spat out in reply. 'Do not seek to interfere.'

'I won't let you control me!' Asuna defiantly shouted.

'What can a mere babe do?' the robed figure laughed in scorn. 'You are nothing!'

'I am not nothing!' the child declared. 'I am Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia! And you will not harm Nagi Springfield!'

Muscled turned rigid in response to the princess' unknowingly cast compulsion. 'Noooo!' The Life Giver screamed while struggling against the geas' forced compliance. 'Wretched girl! You're ruining the world's redemption!'

Ablaze with magic, Nagi's fist hurtled towards his opponent's chin and lofted her upwards with a tremendous uppercut. Linked together, the punch jarred Asuna from head to toe as she sailed high into the air.

"Ha-ha-ha-hah! So you defeat me human? the final boss cackled aloud even they fell into the center of the spell circle. "Very well! Defeat me and become a hero! Perhaps it will offer the sheep some comfort!"

"You're one stubborn bastard," Nagi muttered as he grabbed hold of his staff.

"But you must never forget this, there is no solution that can fulfill all," the figure taunted as the teen flew forward. "The curtain of despair will one day fall upon you too. You are no exception."

"Shut … the … hell … uuuuuup!" the boy with the rust-red hair yelled as his next blow knocked the Life Giver deeper into the pattern.

"I don't care if you tell me that the whole damn world will be destroyed tomorrow!" Another punch followed. "I'll never give up," Nagi yelled and then kicked. "That's what it means to be human!"

Even as the mage's staff transformed into a flashing spear, the Life Giver continued to gloat. "Ahaha … one day you will come to realize that the 'eternity' of which I speak is the only compromise capable of saving all souls."

"Don't you dare," Nagi shouted as he cast his weapon, "underestimate humanity!"

Asuna could feel the spear as it pierced through her stomach. Through the pain, she could hear the white-haired boy's triumphant, -Done!-

'Kozimos?' the Life Giver shrieked in outrage. 'What have you done you traitorous dog?'

-I've sealed you within the little princess,- he calmly explained. -And made sure her tainted bloodline won't pass on to another generation.-

'Fool! Our blood is too tightly enmeshed to be severed!'

-And if she never matures what then?- Kozimos asked.

'Come back to me Kozimos … coma back and be my Filius again.' The spirit sounded almost as if it was pleading. 'Remember how we walked in the sunlight of the garden? Together we can make the perfect world.'

-Perfect? We, your creations, will never reach your expectations,- a weary thought answered. -To fall short is our destiny. Even in the garden you will not be satisfied with what you've wrought and will continue the never ending cycle of creation and destruction. I'm … I'm sorry but I must stop you.-

'Then be less than nothing you ungrateful whelp,' the Life Giver cried, yet even in seeming defeat Asuna detected an exultant tone. 'You may have banished me, but you haven't won.'

The darkness surrounding the miniature world exploded into brilliance. 'You may have delayed remaking this world, but its dissolution has begun. I win! Ha, ha, ha, ha …'

Without the Life Giver's energy to sustain her, Asuna fell back in a swoon only to land in Nagi's outstretched arms. "We've got to get you outta here princess."

"Wait Nagi," Kozimos' voice cut in as the boy instantly materialized.

Bits of the mage's hair floated away, like blossoms falling from a cherry tree, prompting a shocked Nagi to cry out, "Master?"

"No time to worry over that," the other mage replied. Pointing to the sphere encasing them, he declared, "The spell of destruction has begun. That orb will continue to grow until it engulfs the world."

Quickly Nagi removed a card and held it to his forehead. Familiar with pactio cards, Asuna kept silent as the mage communicated with his partner. Relief filled his face when he set it down. "Al says the fleets will use everything they've got to contain it."

"Even combined, the power of the fleets won't be enough," Kozimos calmly stated. "Only the princess can halt the spell's spread."

"It's too dangerous master," Nagi countered. "She'll burn herself out. You said so yourself."

"Is one person's life worth more than the entire world?"

Before Nagi could respond a small voice asked, "I can stop this?"

"Princess?"

"Magic cancelling is a gift among the Teotanasian family," Kozimos said, ignoring Nagi's glowering expression. "But the Imperial Princess of the Twilight can grab hold of magic and force it to do her bidding."

Asuna stared at the white-haired boy. "How?"

-1-

Floating in the eye of the magical storm, Asuna concentrated on a patch of light and tried to will it to move. She tried so long that her vision blurred, but the stubborn patch remained firmly fixed. Frustrated, the princess uttered a word that would have shocked her mother to hear, and then watched in amazement as the tiny area of light shimmered.

"It seems that anger will trigger your power," Kozimos observed.

Anger? She wondered. Chained in the tower, the spell circle had lashed her with energy to invoke latent powers. It wasn't anger she had felt then, but pain. So much pain that Asuna found it was hard at those times to remember where she was or even her name. Something clicked in the child's mind and though she couldn't put it into words, the answer was clear. Like breathing deeply, the princess cast wide and drew in the power held by the rocks Ostia stood upon and above. Energy flowed into her and when it reached the point she could hold no more, Asuna channeled it against herself.

An agonized scream rang out as the mana tore into Asuna like the metal-tipped edge of a whip. Again and again she mercilessly struck. Pain rocked the child whose howl roared like a clap of thunder. Instinctively she grabbed hold of the magic swirling around the Gravekeeper's Palace. Like a desperate animal within a snake's coils the energy twisted and squirmed, seeking escape. Once more the little girl roared and squeezed the ball as hard as she could. Contracting in her mind's grip, the spell unexpectedly recoiled and knocked her into one of the floating rocks. Drifting in and out of consciousness, much of the remainder was a blur, however she could recall part of a conversation where Kozimos bid farewell to Nagi and the boy's agonized cry of "Masteeeeeeeer!"

Bruised and bloody, but still grinning, Nagi's face appeared above her. "I'm always screwing up like this," he noted while scooping Asuna into his arms. "Some hero I am."

"**Mea virga**!" Nimbly leaping atop his staff, the wizard and child zoomed around the field of floating rocks surrounding the palace.

"Nagi?"

"Hello there Asuna," he responded. "I'd like to talk, but we're in a bit of a pickle, so it'll have to wait!"

-1-

Nodoka breathlessly watched as the pair threaded their way through the maze of boulders encircling the Gravekeeper's Palace. Although the girl knew Asuna and Nagi had survived, it hadn't seemed so certain while gazing at the diary's pages. As the pair finally landed on the deck of the Mesembrian flagship, the orb's energy shot upward and streamed into space. Without uttering a word, those assembled watched as the destructive spell wrought by the Life Giver dissipated harmlessly.

Still leaning against the deck's railing, Nagi turned to the sound of booted feet racing towards him. A young boy wearing glasses was being chased by a number of armed men. "Kurt …" Nagi started to say but didn't finish as the boy hit him with a flying tackle, sending both over the warship's side.

"Nagi!" Asuna screamed and would have dove after them except that one of the pursuers grabbed hold of her.

"Let go of me!" the princess cried, but her struggles only knocked the man's derby to the deck.

"Stop!" her captor demanded and Asuna instantly ceased thrashing about. "Those two are fine," the hatless man said as he held her out to see both Nagi and the boy hastily retreating aboard the wizard's staff.

The princess was set upon her feet as another robed man loudly complained. "Dash it all! Why couldn't your men restrain that boy Captain?"

Nodoka had met Senator Ricardo during last year's trip to the Mundus Magicus. A much younger looking Captain Ricardo cautiously answered, "I hadn't been aware Master Gödel was a prisoner Secretary Jurgen."

"Springfield's getting away," the man continued to complain without acknowledging the reply. "Stop him!"

"Scramble a squadron on broom riders," the captain ordered.

"That will take too long," Secretary Jurgen shouted. "Use your guns."

Nodoka couldn't read Ricardo's thoughts but the expression on his face indicated they were anything but complimentary of the secretary's demand. "With all due respect sir, the ship's guns are designed to hit other warships, not two men fleeing on a staff."

"Forget about them Freidrich," the other man said as he retrieved his hat. "I doubt the Council will want to arrest the man who just saved the world."

"Of all the incompetent bunglers …" the secretary lamented. "Very well. Captain! Start landing the mage knights! We need to reestablish order quickly."

"At once sir!" the captain responded and then turned to Asuna. "Yeoman! Escort this child below!"

"Wait a moment!" Jurgen interrupted. He stared at the princess for a long moment and then asked, "What's your name?"

"I am Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia," the child mechanically answered.

Shocked gazes and gasps of surprise greeted her reply. Secretary Jurgen's face went white as the man took a step back in fear. "Seize her!" he commanded. "Clap her in irons!"

"Be reasonable Freidrich," Asuna's former captor said. "She's only a child."

"Only a child?" the man scornfully asked. "Only a child? This is the Imperial Princess of the Twilight! She's a monster!"

-1-

Princess Asuna sat alone, chained to the wall of a dank, dark dungeon. Nodoka could imagine the ever present drip … drip … drip of water as well as the sound of rats scurrying in the shadows. Food sat untouched on a platter at the child's feet.

Hinges groaned in protest as the cell door opened, admitting a guard wearing bulky, black armor. "What's this?" the man asked as he gazed at the prisoner and tray. "You haven't touched your food your Majesty?"

Asuna stared blankly ahead as metal shod feet tramped closer. Eyes peered out from a slit in the helmet as the guard knelt. "You need to keep your strength up," the man said. "Nagi would be upset if you died now, especially after going through all this trouble."

Twitching at the mention of Nagi, the princess slowly raised her gaze up. "What?" a dry and brittle voice asked.

The guard removed his helmet revealing a head much too small for the suit of armor. "My name is Owyn," the man told her. "Owyn Springfield."

"Springfield?" Asuna asked. "Like Nagi?"

"That's right princess," the man answered. "Nagi's my little brother."

"Why are you here?"

"The Imperial Princess of the Twilight will be executed in ten days," Owyn replied. "I'm to take you out of here before that happens."

"But won't they come after me?"

Owyn removed a piece of folded parchment and held it up. "That's what this scrap of paper is for," he answered. "The enchantment on it will make it appear to be you; however, it will take a drop of your blood to activate the spell your Majesty."

"I can't just walk out of here," she protested.

"That's why I'm wearing the oversized armor," he replied. "It will be a tight squeeze, but we can both fit inside."

"So how about it Princess?" he asked as a grin so like his younger brother's stretched wide. "Do you want to leave this place?"

-1-

A plainly dressed man strolled down an unpaved street lined with wooden cabins that reminded Nodoka of Evangeline's cottage. Holding onto his hand was a girl with the hood of her cloak pulled up high. Mountains appeared in the background.

"Where are we?" the child asked.

"This is Nyandom," Owyn answered and then paused as he breathed in deeply. "It reminds me a bit of home."

"Home?"

"That would be Wales," her companion replied and then sighed. "I've been away from there for far too long."

They entered a rambling structure that turned out to be a tavern. Few gave the travel-stained strangers a second glance as the pair sat at an unoccupied table. A serving woman took their order and returned shortly with two, steaming mugs. Mounted above the bar was an HD screen playing sports. Broom-mounted riders tossed a ball back and forth in a game that reminded Nodoka more of basketball rather than quidditch.

A short time later, they were joined by another cloaked traveler. From under the hood stared a weather-beaten face covered with a scraggly beard. "Hello Gateau," Owyn said. "How was the journey?"

"Not too bad," the newcomer answered as he pulled free several briars adhering to his sleeve. "I ran into some bandits in the western pass."

"It took some mild persuading to convince them I wasn't worth the bother," the member of Ala Rubra continued before turning his gaze upon Asuna. "And how are you young lady?"

"We interrupt this broadcast for a live report." The HD screen showed a cat-eared woman standing in front of a tower that rose impossible high above a desolate landscape.

"Behind me is the Cerberus Infinite Prison," the newscaster explained. "Moments from now, Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia Enteofushia, also known as the Imperial Princess of the Twilight, will be executed for her part in bringing about the Bellum Schismatica."

The tavern grew quiet as patrons watched the unfolding drama. A child dressed in a simple, white gown, with her arms bound behind her back was marched from the prison's gates out to a chasm's edge where an open walkway thrust past the canyon wall. Scores of mage knights and hooded wizards escorted the child to her place of execution. A blonde-haired woman dressed in a healer's robes stood next to Asuna. A nimbus of light briefly glowed about the child as the reporter informed viewers that the prisoner's identity was confirmed as Asuna Enteofushia.

"Freidrich Jurgen, Secretary of Security for the Council of Mages, will now read the charges and sentence," the reporter said as one of the robed figures stepped forward.

It pained Nodoka to watch as the mage recited the order condemning a child to death for crimes committed by others. 'She's their scapegoat,' the teen realized. 'A sacrifice to sooth their own consciences."

"Does the condemned have anything to say?" Secretary Jurgen finally asked. After waiting a minute, he then stepped back into the crowd. Guards prodded the prisoner forward until she stood upon the walkway. Head held high, the child took a hesitant step forward and then another. Toes dangled over the platform's lip as the doppelganger paused. Displaying a dignity few could match, Asuna's double closed her eyes and stepped forward. All eyes were riveted to the sight of the princess plunging into the canyon.

Minutes later the sports match continued as Gateau exhaled in relief. "That was amazing," the bearded man exclaimed. "My compliments to your fiancé."

"You okay little lady?" Owyn asked.

Asuna had felt nothing before the newscast, nothing during and nothing now. "I'm fine."

Both men looked uneasily at each other and then quickly changed the subject. "We'll need to call you by another name," Gateau mentioned. "Asuna is common enough …"

"What about Springfield?" the girl asked.

"The idea is to not draw attention," Gateau answered.

"We could always try Vandenberg," Owyn suggested. "Do you want to be Asuna von Vandenberg?"

"That's not much better," the other man responded.

"What about Kagura then?" Owyn countered. "I think the Japanese commonly affix 'zaka' or 'zaki' to make names."

"Asuna Kagurazaka," Gateau said, his face screwed up in a thoughtful expression. "How does that sound to you?"

"Asuna Springfield sounds better."

"She's got a point," Owyn chuckled. "She definitely has a point."

-1-

The incidents in Asuna's past were scary, but why did they trouble her classmate's sleep? And more importantly, why was Negi's presence calming? She knew of only one person who might be able to answer those questions and without hesitation Nodoka called out, "Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia."

Letters formed across the page. _Well met Miyazaki-san._

"Are you the Princess Asuna?"

_I am._

"I have some questions I'd like to ask," Nodoka started to say.

_It would be easier to speak face to face don't you think?_

"Yes, but …"

_Then all you need to do is cast a spell to enter my dream._

About to claim she didn't know such a spell, Nodoka gaped in amazement as the words to an incantation appeared. _Nienfa somni regina Maeve … _

" … _**Queen of the dream spirits! I call upon thee**_**!**_"_ Golden sparkles danced about the bed as Nodoka chanted. Cupping her hands about the largest light, she gently pressed them together."**Open the door unto her dream.**"

Upon completing the spell, Nodoka slumped over the bed and landed near Asuna's feet.

Standing in what appeared to be a cavern, Nodoka methodically scanned her surroundings, paying particular attention to a crevice only a few paces away. The fissure ran the length of the floor and next to it stood the little girl she recognized as Asuna's younger self. "Hello your Majesty," the mind reader said as she tried to bow and curtsey at the same time and wound up doing neither particularly well. "What is this place?"

"This is the center of your friend's soul," the child answered. "And mine."

"I don't understand."

"Look into the pit," the princess commanded.

Obediently, Nodoka gazed down into its depths. Light glistened off of alternating dark and silver shapes that reminded the teen of a pile of damp leaves.

"At birth, every soul is an empty pit," the other Asuna said. "A pit that fills with a lifetime's of experiences; every joy, every sorrow adds another bit to the whole that defines a person. But that was taken from me."

"Destined to be merely a housing for the Life Giver, I was closely guarded so that traits that might prove difficult to overcome, like self worth, would not develop." Nodoka would have expected the princess' voice to be bitter or regretful, however the young girl continued speaking in an expressionless monotone. "At my father's instigation, those who could instill such concepts where disposed of and I was given unto strangers who skillfully honed me into a weapon."

"I wasn't a little girl or a princess," the child flatly declared. "I was only a tool. One day another stranger came and something within me stirred … a feeling I had never experienced before … like how the very first spring must have felt."

"During the first battle with the Mage of the Beginning, Kush'Na Norista Teotanasia and Kurt'Wa Cae Ffynnon forged a bond that has endured through the centuries since. Chained in the tower, I felt that bond when a boy named Nagi Springfield asked me for my name. She who you know as Kagurazaka Asuna feels it in the presence of that man's son."

"That's why she can bear these memories isn't it?" Nodoka asked. "Because of the bond?"

"She is comforted whenever her protector is near."

"Then …" Nodoka paused as a leaden weight settled about her heart. Still she forced a smile as if nothing was wrong. "Then those two are meant for one another."

"Do not misunderstand me Miyazaki-san," the younger Asuna said. "Negi is her protector; if the Mage of the Beginning rises again, those two will battle side by side against the threat. Who the boy weds is not set in stone. Kurt'Wa was married to another when he and Kush'Na made their pactio."

Glancing down into the pit, Nodoka asked "So those are Kagurazaka-san's experiences?"

"Yes," the child answered. "Unencumbered with my past, she is free to live and grow, to be the person I never can."

"How can you bear this?" The mind-reader choked back a tear as she asked.

"Because I must."

-1-

**A/N: Okay I admit that it would be more in keeping with Nagi's personality to have him just charge in and bust Asuna out. Let's just say that the lad listened to calmer heads and did things the sneaky way. Besides, it let Negi's uncle do more that rent cabins in an out of the way village. **

**Chapter title and heading are from Proust's "Remembrance of Things Past."**

**A postern is a small gate set into a wall. Wergild is paid by a murderer to his victim's family as atonement for the death.**

"**Per mei imperium, appello tui Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia exsisto" translates to "By my command, your name is Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia."**

"**Bellum Schismatica" translates to "Schismatic War."**

"**Nienfa somni regina Maeve" translates to "Maeve Queen of the dream spirits." See chapter 22 of the manga.**

**For no other reason than I wanted to refer to them by name, I've decided to call Fate's associates Bromius (lightning mage), Adrastus (fire mage) and Volturnus (water mage). MakuhariFan-01 named the demon summoner Irkalla and I've decided to use that name in preference to Dynamis, which is his true name according to the manga.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Life's a beach and the party's just warming up. We've got the music, we'****ve got the motorcycles, now I need to work in the girls wearing bikinis. Oh well, maybe next chapter. My thanks to the usual suspects. Your suggestions are appreciated.**

**Ken Akamatsu owns 'Negima' and its characters.**

**The following conventions are used: **"words, 'thoughts', _memories,_ lyrics, and **"spells" or "emphasis!"**

(-)

**Shadows of War**

Hear the breath of moving thunder. Red hot blow the ashes to the sky - Loudness

**Tokyo, Japan**

A short man dressed in jeans and a red, grease-stained tee-shirt dashed into the shop's small office as the phone rang for the eighth time. Words from a radio playing in the garage bay followed him inside.

I never talk to guardian angels, never look at evil past the dying swan of sad creation, going fast away  
we are born again like a phoenix passing, vanish like a soldier's death …

Closing the door behind him dampened the music. Snatching up the receiver, he answered, "Ozuku repairs, how can I help you?"

From the other end came a voice familiar to Ozuku Kai. "Are the senshi still for hire?" the caller asked. "Or have you grown too rich from fencing stolen motorcycles?"

"I didn't expect to hear from you again Miyaki-san," the short man replied as a toothy grin broke out. "Last I heard you had hightailed it out of the country."

"I work for a new boss," the caller responded. "So are you for hire?"

"Depends on the job."

"There's a young lady who's pissed off the wrong people," his prospective employer said. "She and a gaijin friend will be at the Port of Tokyo tomorrow."

"Is she a looker?" Kai asked. "We may not want to off her too quickly if she is."

"I don't give a damn what you do with her just as long as she leaves Tokyo in a bag," the caller answered.

"What about the gaijin?"

"Do what you like with him too, but I'm only paying for the girl," an irritated voice answered. "Do we have a deal?"

"Sounds like we can do business," Kai said. "We've got a party going on right now, so call back in an hour."

**(-)**

**Technology Center, Mahora Japan**

Hands carefully positioned the doll within the SU-1's neural emulator trunk and strapped it securely into place. "Hand me those two wires … the ones with the clips," Hakase requested as the pig-tailed scientist stepped back. Her red-headed assistant quickly complied and she attached them to the doll. A few clicks on the keyboard and data began streaming across the monitor.

"What's all this for?" Kazumi asked as the reporter glanced over her shoulder at the screen.

"I'm running a few diagnostics before activating the unit," Class 1A's mad scientist answered. Apparently satisfied with the results, Hakase sealed the chest cavity and pronounced the SU-1 ready.

"That's the Sayo Unit One," she replied to Kazumi's uncomprehending stare. "Do you want to turn her on?"

"What?" Hakase asked as the red-head glared at her in response.

"Never mind," came the answer. "Which breast do I have to push?"

"Oh, I relocated the switch since the pressing the chest seemed so awkward" Hakase told her and then pointed lower. "It's down there now."

"You're kidding me right?" Kazumi asked. An incredulous expression appeared on the reporter's face as Hakase shook her head no. "Why would you ever put the 'on' switch there?"

"Well … I was reading this manga about a guy who finds a robot on a garbage heap," she answered, causing Kazumi to throw her hands up.

"For someone who has more brains than any three people I know," the red-head complained, "you sure didn't think this through."

Looking more than a little self-conscious, Kazumi reached down and began probing for the switch. "Where …?"

"It's up higher," Hakase answered and earned another glare.

"Maniakku," the reporter disgustedly muttered while pressing the small button. Motors with gears no larger across than a molecule hummed to life in response to the paparazzi's touch. "Does she have to be wound up too?"

"All of the spring driven mechanisms have been replaced," the scientist enthusiastically answered. "One of Professor Akashi's colleagues introduced me to a disruptive technology that produces electricity by using hexokinase to strip off electrons from glucose …"

Hakase noted that the other girl's eyes had glazed over, so she finished by saying "No, a key won't be needed."

As Kazumi's face showed relief, the SU-1's eyes fluttered open and pinpoints of red light glowed. "Sayo-san," the reporter said and a plasticized mouth stretched outward in response. This was followed by an "oof" as two arms grabbed and lifted the girl high into the air.

"Kazumi-san!" the SU-1 unit happily cried as the robot began spinning about. "Kazumi-saaaaan!"

"Whoa Sayo! Whoa!" the hapless victim pleaded. "I'm getting dizzy."

Stopping on a dime, Sayo set her friend down and Kazumi wobbled. "Her sensors check out," Hakase noted with a grin.

"So does she still have the lasers?"

"No, I got rid of all the old weapons systems," the scientist explained. "That brought her mass to below 70 kilos."

"No lasers?" the gynoid asked in a disappointed tone. "How about a Gatling gun?"

Hakase shook her head in response. "Rocket punch?" Again she indicated no.

"No rocket punch?" Sayo cried in dismay. "But all robots are supposed to have a rocket punch."

"You don't need those obsolete weapon systems," the scientist countered. "You have over 7 billion nanobots at your command."

"Nanobots?" Sayo and Kazumi simultaneously asked. "What are nanobots?"

"Nanobots are robots less than 10 micrometers in size," she told them. "The bots will perform routine maintenance much in the manner of various cells in a human body. And just like cells, they can self replicate."

A disappointed frown creased Sayo's face. "I was looking forward to …" the robot sighed and left the sentence unfinished.

"You don't need all that," Hakase said. "With the nanobots, you can form whatever weapon the situation calls for."

"I can?"

"She can?" Kazumi echoed.

Of course," she answered. "Plus there's room now for expanded communication capabilities: direct interface with telephone systems, shortwave radio, the internet … you're even hooked into the GPS satellite network."

Hakase observed the light bulb click on above both of her classmates' heads. "Let me give you the quick and dirty rundown of what you can do."

(-)

**Girls' High School, Mahora Japan**

It felt good to walk into the classroom that morning and be noticed by everyone. Goodman-san was surprised to see the first seat occupied but said nothing. "Good morning class!" sensei had greeted them and Sayo's "Good morning Mister Markham" was just as enthusiastic as the others. And when her name was called first during role, she could have burst when answering "here."

Lunchtime was a bit of a come down. While the others were eating their packaged meals, she quietly sat at her desk and drew little pictures of clouds and flowers on a sheet of paper.

"Asakura-san," the class rep called. "We were discussing the upcoming festival at yesterday's student council meeting."

"The entire council was impressed by last year's final event," Ayaka continued. "So impressed that I've been appointed to plan this year's."

"Congratulations," the reporter replied, smirking broadly. "I'm sure you'll do a bang-up job iincho-san."

"No doubt," the blonde girl said, "especially since you'll be helping."

"Say what?"

"The council decided that you'd be perfect to head up advertising and media relations." Ayaka smirked back. "Our first meeting is this afternoon, right after school."

"But I was going to Tokyo to help sensei pick up his motorcycle," Kazumi protested.

"Sensei's got a motorcycle?" Sakurako asked and the normal classroom chatter died.

"What kind?" somebody shouted.

"Is sensei a bosozoku?" another asked.

"He's too old for that," a third declared. "I heard they have to retire at age 20."

(-)

**Teachers' Lounge, Mahora Japan**

"Shirabe admitted that her masters are after Konoka-san," Zazie told him.

Negi glanced away from his former student's impassive expression as the boy digested her news. "I wish you had said something earlier."

Cocking her head to one side, the white-haired girl regarded him. "Can Konoka-san be any more protected than she is now?"

The third individual in the room removed a cigarette from his mouth and blew out a cloud of smoke. "Point taken," Takamichi remarked. "Still, knowing would have allowed us to prepare a counter strategy that much sooner Zazie-san."

With a nod, the girl acknowledged the truth of his words while Negi turned to his father's former comrade. "Can we move Konoka-san to a safer place?"

"There might not be a safer place than Mahora," the older teacher answered. "You've seen how easily the Kansai Temple's defenses were breeched."

Although it was Fate Averruncus who was responsible both times, he had to agree with Takahata's assessment. Thinking of his white-haired opponent reminded the boy of something else that had been bothering him since returning from Kyoto. Anya had described the battle with Fate several times. During the time Negi and Kotaro fought for the businessman from Granicus, Dolnegus hadn't shown much in the way of magical power. Not even when attacked on the festival's final day.

Borrowing Rakan's rating scheme, Negi wouldn't rank the Chairman any higher than an elite mage knight. But someone equal to 300 Chisame's shouldn't have lasted a minute against Averruncus let alone fight the Total World agent to a draw. Three explanations presented themselves. First, Dolnegus could have dramatically increased his power. After his experiences with the Magia Erebea, Negi knew it could be done. Second, Fate's capacity had been diminished. That was possible too, particularly if Mihai was the unidentified mage who fought alongside Fate. Mihai was definitely weaker than in the Mundus Magicus; Fate could have been damaged just as severely but Negi wouldn't count on that. Third … the man who introduced himself as Dolnegus wasn't. Who could he be then?

Not many mages could trade blows with a wizard of Fate's power. Negi had nearly killed himself by trying. Certainly Rakan could and Evangeline-san had easily handled Fate during the class trip to Kyoto. But Jacobius Rakan had once more slipped into retirement after declaring Ala Alba the Crimson Wing's successors, while his master … while his master was truly dead. That left …

'No!' Negi forcefully told himself. 'Don't even go there! Don't raise your hopes on no more than this!'

Much as he wanted to find his father, pretending that Nagi had once more arrived in the nick of time wouldn't do him any good. His father was alive, but, to borrow a phrase from Phillip-san, he needed solid intel before making that conclusion.

"For better or worse, Konoka-san will remain at Mahora," Takamichi continued. A knock sounded on the longue door and the older teacher moved to answer.

"Oh! Takahata-sensei," Ayaka's shocked voice said. "I was told Negi-sensei was in here."

"He's here," the man replied. "Just a moment and I'll get him."

Suddenly, Takamichi's voice changed from its business-like tone. "I know this sudden Ayaka-san, but are you doing anything later this evening?"

(-)

**School Pool**

When Katashi-san had asked to see him in his office, Akira had been apprehensive. What could she have done? Did she somehow offend the coach? Was he going to boot her off the swim team? Even wilder ideas flitted to and fro behind the girl's calm demeanor. To her surprise, the team's coach had asked her to fill in as a life guard for the elementary students' free swim that afternoon.

Every other day, time was set aside for the younger kids to enjoy the pool without having to compete with older students or pay full price. Akira was shocked to find the Narutaki twins trying to sneak in and quickly chased them out. Then there was a little girl who reminded Akira of Tatsumiya-san, if her classmate was eight or nine years old. Unfortunately, that girl didn't have a student ID so she had no choice but to turn her away.

She was actually enjoying herself as a life guard and found opportunities to put her power to use. One girl had been inching into deeper water and lost her hold on the ledge. Akira had controlled the water and pushed the flailing child back to the shallower end without anyone being the wiser. Then there was the little boy who kept drenching others by doing belly-flops in the water. Apply pressure to water and physics says its density changes. That the youngster understood physics was doubtful, but he might recall the sting before diving like that again.

Glancing at the deep end of the pool, Akira froze in horror; a boy lay still on the bottom. Without further thought she dove in and pulled the child upward. As they broke the surface, Akira grabbed him under the chin and swam back to the pool's edge where a blonde-haired girl anxiously waited.

"Are you okay Mihai-kun," the young girl asked.

"How long was I under Yuki-kun?" the white-haired boy asked in return.

"Less than two minutes," his friend replied.

"Wait a moment," Akira interrupted. "You were trying to stay underwater?"

Mihai fixed her with a blank stare. "Yes."

"It's my fault," Yuki said. "We were talking about how pearl divers could stay underwater for seven minutes and Mihai-kun was proving he could do that too."

Something struck her as familiar about the boy, but the teen couldn't quite put a finger on what it was. "You two will need to leave the pool."

Yuki grabbed hold of her companion's hand as the pair walked away. As Akira pulled herself out of the pool, she noticed a dark-haired boy gazing at the departing couple; a troubled look was on the lad's face. It was the same look she often wore whenever Professor Springfield was with certain of her classmates.

(-)

**University Commons**

Stars began to twinkle in the twilight sky as strains of Mozart, played by the university orchestra, floated over the grassy field. Seated on a blanket, with chin propped upon his knees, Negi would have found it a relaxing break from the daily routine if not for the girl next to him. Why Takahata would ask Ayaka out that evening was a mystery; predicting Asuna's reaction upon finding out was only too easy. After being convinced it wasn't a joke, she had grabbed him by the collar and yanked the poor boy off his feet, shouting "Come 'er bozu!"

"How could you let him go out with that straw-headed twit?" the girl grumbled.

"Takamichi's a grown man," Negi answered in his defense. "I can't tell him what or what not to do."

"Why are they sitting so close together?" Asuna continued complaining as if she hadn't heard a word he said.

Negi sighed in resignation and tried to enjoy what he could of the performance. Since the trip to Cinema Village, he and Asuna hadn't spent any time together that wasn't training. Memories of cherished moments in each other's company flashed through his thoughts: a kiss on the bridge, a promise uttered during a South Sea island holiday, even, though his cheeks flushed, spying her bathing in the depths of Library Island.

With only a temporary pactio between them, it was unreasonable to expect Asuna to fuss over him like she was over her guardian Takamichi. Intellectually he could understand and accept that, but intellect didn't stop arrows of jealousy from striking. Their relationship was difficult for Negi to explain. Doing so often led to frustration rather than insight. In many ways Asuna felt like his sister, someone that you've known all of your life and had grown accustomed to. Yet he believed there was a deeper connection. However, every time he felt close to comprehending what that connection was, it would slip away.

From the concert, they tailed the couple to the lake. Takamichi led them to a dock where the man rented a boat and the rowed it out on the calm water. "He never took me for a boat ride," Asuna sourly observed. "We need to follow them."

At her urging, they mounted Negi's staff and flew in pursuit.

"I want to hear what they're saying," Asuna whispered.

Cautiously, Negi inched the staff closer to the rowboat until the voices could be understood.

"You're quite an outstanding young lady Ayaka-san," the older man said. "Intelligent, athletic, cultured, well-mannered … and even though you could buy a battleship and have it moored in this lake, you choose not to throw your wealth around so blatantly."

"I'm not really all that special Takahata-san," the class rep dismissively replied.

"You got that right sister," Asuna muttered under her breath.

"Don't sell yourself so short," her former teacher remarked. "I don't. In fact, I can say that there are very few women that can compare to you."

Even in the dark, Negi could sense his partner tense at Takamichi's comment. Panic began to take hold as he imagined Asuna leaping down, with blade drawn, and eviscerating the hapless couple. He was thinking of immediately returning to shore when Ayaka asked, "What do you, um, think of Asuna-san?"

"Asuna?" Takamichi replied in a puzzled tone.

"Yes, Asuna-san?" Ayaka repeated.

"I've known Asuna since she was little and my master and I cared for her," the man recalled. "She was an orphan you see, just as I was."

"Since you know something about Negi-san's father, you should understand when I say my master was one of Nagi's companions," Takamichi continued. "He was killed by enemies of Ala Rubra and Asuna watched him die."

As Negi heard Ayaka's gasp of "How terrible," he felt the staff sway from his partner's shudder. "Asuna," he whispered but the girl ignored him.

"We were offered sanctuary at Mahora; a chance to start over and begin a new life." Takamichi paused and let the boat drift before speaking again.

"Asuna is quite likely the most wonderful person I know of in either world," the teacher calmly declared. "I'd do anything, even sacrifice my life, to see her safe and happy; but …"

With hands tightly clenched about the staff, the bell-wearing teen angrily shook it while murmuring, "But what you idiot?"

"But I've played the role of an older brother too long," the man finally admitted. "I want to see Asuna as the enchanting woman she's grown into; however, I can't see her as anything except my younger sister."

Negi heard a muffled groan and whispered her name again. "Asuna?"

"I'm okay," she whispered back and then sniffled. "Let's head back bozu."

Under the star filled sky, a boy and girl strolled along the beach in silence that was nearly deafening. Negi wanted to reach out and comfort his partner, but the fear of being rebuffed forced the youngster to continue plodding along. Asuna may not have been that "special" girl, yet she meant more to him than he had the words to express.

On his first day at Mahora, the young mage had been attracted to the strange, bell-wearing girl. Out of a crowd of thousands, Negi had gravitated to her. By turns threatening, caring, angry and gentle, Asuna had been a whirlwind that threw his life into disorder. And despite the mixed signals, the thumpings and unwanted baths, she had become an indispensible pillar of support. It was almost as if becoming partners had been preordained.

In the Mundus Magicus, when he believed Asuna was dead, Negi felt as if a part of him had died too. Upon discovering she was alive, the mage instinctively knew his only choice was to rescue her. To do otherwise would be to abandon that piece of himself as well. 'It's like we're two sides of the same coin,' the boy thought and suddenly realized that their bond had grown even stronger since returning to Mahora.

'Why is that?' he wondered. True they survived an epic ordeal together, but Konoka and Setsuna had been there too and Negi didn't feel a similar connection to them. Nodoka's life had been endangered, and while his feelings for her were of a different sort, they didn't match the intensity of those for Asuna. Some might call such single-minded devotion love, and Negi supposed they would be correct as far as it went. However, love didn't seem a fully satisfactory explanation either.

'Could there be something in her past?' he wondered. 'Maybe something special about who she is?'

Asuna Vesperina Teotanasia Enteofushia, only daughter of Vespertatia's last king, magic canceller, the Imperial Princess of the Twilight, vessel of the Life Giver, wielder of Caliburn … 'Wielder of Caliburn?'

Memories of a late night study sessions in Meldiana's library rose from the recesses of his mind.

_A boy, around age seven, hunched over an ancient tome and read by lantern light. Somewhere in the darkness, a bump sounded that set his companion on edge._

"_What was that?" Anya asked._

"_What was what?" the studious boy replied._

"_That noise just now," a fearful voice answered._

"_Probably an air draft."_

"_That's an awfully big sounding draft," Anya countered. "Are you done yet?"_

"_No, not yet."_

"_What are you so engrossed in reading anyway?"_

"_It's a history about famous artifacts," he answered. "Listen to this …"_

"… _created through the shared sacrifice of the first Teotanasian sorceress and her partner Ffyfnon, the Caliburn is a symbol of the bond between them and embodies their determination to defeat the Life Giver. Matchless in battle, the sword's wielder cannot be defeated by normal force of arms." Negi then emphasized the following sentences, "__**Only one whose blood is that of the Teotanasians can draw the blade from its scabbard. Additionally, the blade allows both holder and protector to recognize each other.**__"_

'Protector,' the present day Negi thought. In a flash, it all made sense to the aspiring Magister Mage. 'I am Asuna's protector and Caliburn is somehow strengthening our bond.'

In an amazed tone, he said aloud, "We were meant to be together."

Asuna stopped and turned at him, starlight illuminating her vexed features. "What do mean 'we were meant to be together' squirt?"

"Just as I said," Negi confidently answered.

"Is this one of your famous I'm-gonna-say-something-she's-toatally-gonna-misunderstand-and-then- make-her-feel-like-an-idiot-when-I-explain-what-I-really-meant statements?"

"Asuna, listen to me," he pleaded. "Back in the beginning, the very beginning, your ancestor and my ancestor fought side by side to defeat the Life Giver. Since then, the Teotanasian line has always been visible but Ffyfnon's family faded into obscurity. Don't you think it odd that one of Kurt'wa's descendents was in the right place to aid one of Kush'na's descendent when the Life Giver tried to return again?"

Arguments sprang to life in the girl's face, only to die a quick and inglorious death.

"I've always assumed that those two made a pactio," Negi commented. "But what if their partnership was something else? Something that transmitted down the centuries, like your family's memories?"

Clenching his fist before him, as if seizing the moment and holding it close, he turned to the confused teen. "Be my partner?"

"What … what are you saying bozu?"

"Become my permanent partner Asuna?" Negi said in a resolute voice. "Help me in my quests, and let me assist with yours?"

She was flustered at first by the question, but quickly smothered it with a resoluteness matching his own. "I thought we agreed to wait for this discussion."

"Why wait when I know that you're the one I want at my side?"

The corners of Asuna's mouth inched up slowly until a full smile appeared. "You turn 15 the year after I graduate, right?" Negi nodded in response. "I'll give you my answer then."

Returning by a meandering path through the city, they reached the high school dormitory minutes before the student curfew. Ayaka was being dropped off by her date as well. Nervously, the class rep extended a hand to shake goodnight. They were all surprised when the man leaned in and kissed the blonde girl's cheek. As Takamichi walked into the night, Ayaka's hand lifted up to touch the spot where his lips had been.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Asuna turned to Negi and, in a voice loud enough to be heard, said, "You know Negi, I think becoming permanent partners is a good idea." Cupping the startled boy's chin with her hands, she pressed her lips against his.

Negi felt the earth reel beneath his feet when she broke off contact. Spinning around, Asuna bounded up the steps two at a time. "Evening class rep," she spryly said on her way past a flabbergasted Ayaka.

(-)

**Port of Tokyo**

Phillip knelt as he inspected the motorcycle. Even in the warehouse's dim light, the chrome-plated pipes and engine gleamed. 'Sportster' was written across the gas tank while below it followed 'Harley Davidson U.S.A.' in a smaller letters. Not an expert by any means, the American took his time checking for any damage, much to the clerk's apparent annoyance. Finally satisfied, he stood and jotted his signature on the dotted line.

"Sorry to have made you wait so long Miss Aisaka," the teacher told his substitute guide. He had been shocked to find a solid Sayo seated in class this morning. A couple of his students had adapted one of Miss Karakuri's spare bodies for the spirit's use. During the break, he had pulled Miss Hakase aside.

"I'm glad you've done this for her but is there anything I should be warned about?" he asked. "I recall you mentioned something about weapon systems on the class trip and then there's that damage to the dormitory basement."

"No need to worry sensei," the class genius answered. "Anticipating your objections, I removed all of the weapons and replaced them with communication systems."

"So no laser beams Miss Hakase?"

"No laser beams sensei."

"No RPGs?"

"No RPGs."

"No particle projectile cannons?"

Pausing in thought, the girl tapped a forefinger against her chin. "Let me think …"

"Miss Hakase?"

"Nope! No PPC's."

After getting on the motorcycle, he helped Sayo mount up behind him and then pressed the ignition button. The Sportster's engine roared in response. 'We were searching for America,' Phillip thought as he eased the throttle forward. "Hang on Miss Aisaka," he shouted and then gave it the gas.

"Hang on to waaaa…" Phillip heard as the Harley rocketed forward.

(-)

Observing one of the terminal's exits, Tsubasa listened to the music playing in his head. "I'm rolling thunder, like pouring rain." Fingers, badly trailing the beat, slapped against handlebars. "I'm coming on like a hurricane."

Streaks of lightning decorated his otherwise all black suit and helmet. The young man had always admired lightning's power: sudden, ruthless and overwhelming. Exactly the way Tsubasa perceived himself to be. "My lightning's flashing across the sky. You're only young but you're gonna die."

Rushing through last night's party had left him unsatisfied, like a wolf being chased from a half finished meal. He hoped that the girl they were supposed to take care of would make up for the disappointment. "I won't take no prisoners, won't spare no lives."

The engine's rumble reached him before the bike appeared. "American," he snorted upon recognizing the brand. "Figures."

The foreigner was seated in front, and Tsubasa felt a keen disappointed upon seeing the passenger. He pressed the radio toggle on the helmet's side. "Tsubasa here. The target's in sight."

"Keep them in view and we'll catch up to you," his older brother ordered.

"I see the gaijin," he said, "but the girl looks nothing like you described."

His little sister's cheeky voice came on next. "Ahhh are your disappointed little brother?"

"Yeah. She looks as flat as you Urara."

"Up yours you stupid sh…"

"Knock it off you two! This isn't a fight over who gets the game controller!" Kai yelled. "We've already been paid so we take care of whoever it is! Got it!"

"Got it," Tsubasa and his sister grumbled in reply.

The engine started and the man who was like the lightning set off in pursuit. "I got my bell, I'm gonna take you to Hell."

(-)

Structures seemed to fly past them as the motorcycle rumbled down the street. An icon of a vertical line surrounded by open parenthesis flashed in the corner of her display. Curious, she activated the application and tiny characters scrolled across the bottom in the manner of an electronic marquee. It took Sayo a moment to realize she was viewing a transmission of the local police precinct dispatching assistance to the bridge they had intended to cross over Tokyo Bay on.

"There's a traffic accident on the expressway up ahead," she informed her teacher. "Head straight and take the bridge past the Ariake Terminal."

Phillip nodded in reply and continued driving forward. Sayo had begun to relax when her sensors picked up the high pitched whine of acceleration from behind. Glancing over her shoulder revealed two cyclists rapidly approaching. Both riders wore black racing suits, though one was decorated with what looked like forks of lightning and the other with flames.

Each bike zipped in and out of traffic in a most unsafe manner in her opinion and as they drew closer, Sayo's eyes opened wide in surprise as both riders unsheathed a sword. Unlike the old Sayo, she didn't freeze in fear. 'Sayo beam activate,' the girl commanded and then belated remembered that Hakase had removed the laser.

Twin blades bit deep into her plasticized outer covering as the bikes whipped by them. "What in hell?" a stunned Phillip exclaimed.

"Those men attacked us with swords sensei."

In response, her teacher swerved across the lane and turned onto a side street. Raising an arm, the girl looked at the gaping hole in her sleeve, slashed open by a katana's edge. As they turned onto a road paralleling the main highway, her sensor's detected another engine rapidly approaching. Ducking her head beneath Phillip's arm, she began crawling around him.

"Stop it Sayo-san or we'll crash!" Phillip ordered.

"I'm trying to protect you," she replied and continued until firmly seated on the gas tank. The third rider wore a suit decorated with stylized waves that reminded her of the picture by Hokusai printed on Markham's rail pass.

Nanofactories embedded within her responded to unspoken commands, creating projections along her forearms that resembled Ku Fei's tonfa. Instead of passing by, their attacker slowed to match pace a struck at Markham's back. Clack, she deflected the blow. Clack, clack, clack followed in swift succession. In frustration, the sword wielding biker thrust at the man's leg only have Sayo push the blade down with her foot. Sparks flashed as bare metal scrapped against the roadway. Desperately she swiped at their assailant's helmet. The rider jerked away and overbalanced, toppled to the asphalt and was dragged for several meters until cutting the power. "Sorry," Sayo cried as they zoomed away.

Racing through the next intersection, she saw the first pair to assault them turn onto the street. Summoning a virtual keyboard, she hastily typed and transmitted a dispatch over the police frequency. Closer their enemies came while the gynoid floundered for what to form next.

"Grab hold of me," the American told her. "Tightly!" Phillip opened the throttle and the Sportster shot forward. Her internal systems indicated their velocity was 140 kilometers an hour and accelerating, but sensei's motorcycle wasn't a match for their opponents' racing bikes.

She felt the bike tip to one side and the rear wheel slid parallel to the front. Arms and legs wrapped about her teacher as the Sportster passed underneath a semi-trailer. The truck's horn blared as they came out on the other side. As sensei righted his motorcycle, one of the pursuing bikes slammed into the opposite side of the trailer and exploded into a ball of fire. Flames and oily, black smoke rose into the sky while in the distance, Sayo could hear the wail of sirens.

(-)

"What a nightmare," Misa grumbled to her companion. "I thought we'd never get out of there."

"I can't believe how many people were applying to perform at the festival," Madoka replied. "I guess we inspired a lot of other groups to give it a try."

"I wonder what it will be like when we make it big?" the band's lead singer asked. To the founders of Dekopin Rocket, it was always a question of "when" they'd become famous never "if."

"I don't know," the group's guitarist answered. "I'd like to have a private jet … like iincho-san's."

"But with a different paint job," Misa added. "I hope we get a car contract; something sporty and expensive."

Her friend frowned in response, prompting her to ask what the problem was.

"I … I don't know Misa," Madoka answered. "Don't you think we should records songs other than jingles to sell car or noodles?"

"That's how success is measured," she replied. "Number and types of advertisements, how many members are in your fan club, having your own anime …"

"I don't want to be another aidoru," the dark-haired girl said. "Have my face plastered everywhere and then disappear after six months."

"You don't want to be famous?" Misa asked, perplexed by the conversation's turn.

"I want to be famous," her roommate answered. "And I want people to remember our music years later. You know, like Markham-sensei talks about the Beatles and all those really old bands."

They walked in silence for awhile before Madoka spoke again. "I want us to reach the top too," her friend said. "But I want to make music that people will tune the radio to; not get caught up in keeping statistics. Am I being unreasonable?"

"No," she started to say and then glanced down at her watch. "Oh crap! We're going to be late!"

Dashing back to the dormitory, the two girls rushed through the door just as the last second before curfew ticked away. As Misa panted for breath, she noticed the class rep stood in the lobby and wore a bemused expression. Hoping to avoid a lecture about cutting things too close, she began to explain how more applicants showed up for this year's festival but Ayaka turned and walked away without saying a word.

"What's up with her?" she wondered.

"Hey Misa," her roommate called out. "Are you coming upstairs?"

"Go on ahead," the girl answered. "I'll be along in a minute."

Madoka's comments spun around in her head as she vainly tried to figure out what had brought on the sudden change. Her friend had been enthusiastic from the start over forming Dekopin Rocket and, until now, had shared her desire to break into the music business. 'It's like I don't know you anymore.'

An engine roared outside and Misa gazed out the window to see Markham-sensei ride up on a motorcycle. Nostrils flared as the man helped one of her classmates off the bike. A jaw clenched as Sayo threw both arms about their teacher's neck and gave him an overly friendly hug. Only after he had ridden out of sight did the former ghost skip towards the dormitory. It was then that she noticed the tattered condition of her classmate's uniform and disheveled appearance.

'Sayo-san too!' she seethed is silent fury. Here was the problem.

(-)

**A/N: Ah Sayo. When will Ken give you another chapter to yourself? Thanks again for the suggestion Fionn. As for nanobots, it seems Hakase had utilized them in Chachamaru's last upgrade (refer to the battle with the dragon from chapter 190). The character Eve, from "Black Cat", also uses this technology. **

**Chapter title, heading and song lyrics are from the Loudness song 'Ashes in the Sky' also known as 'Shadows of War.' Song lyrics quoted by Tsubasa are from AC/DCs 'Hells Bells.'**

**Gaijin – Foreigner**

**Maniakku – Maniac, one with a specialized interest or focus**

**Bosozoku – Formerly motorcycle gangs, but now more a style built around custom cars and bikes **

**Aidoru - Idol**

**Markham's motorcycle is a Harley-Davidson Sportster XL 883C.**

**Sayo's reference is to Hokusai's 'the Great Wave off Kanagawa', one of the most reproduced pieces of art in the world.**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: And so the story rambles on as I enjoy the wonders of the middle of nowhere. Thank you to everyone who helped to make this a better chapter. You know who you are.**

**Ken Akamatsu owns Negima and its characters. Phillip Markham, Lili and host of supporting characters are of my creation.**

**The following conventions are use: **"words", 'thoughts', singing, _reading_, **"spells".**

**Sweet Birds**

**Upon those boughs which shake against the cold, bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang** – William Shakespeare

**Girls' Dormitory, Mahora Japan**

Music filled the basement rec room during Dekopin Rocket's practice session. Sakurako held the microphone as the rest of the band played for the imaginary audience.

"If you say that you can draw only a picture without dreams anymore, paint over a canvas again and again," the teen sang in a breathy voice. "The white flag should be raised only when one gives up."

Ako's bass intertwined with Madoka's drum beat, propelling the song to its conclusion.

"Now I'm in a color that you don't know."

Smiles broke out as the final chords echoed and faded away. "That was great Ako," Misa enthusiastically exclaimed to the bassist.

"Yeah," Sakurako added. "You were smokin' hot."

"Play like that," Madoka said, "and we won't have any worries about the festival."

Ako beamed at her band mates' compliments. Ever since filling in for Damashi's bass player at the Ostian Peace Festival, the girl had played with greater confidence. Strangely enough, the pactio she shared with Negi-kun also helped. No matter where she was or what she was doing, Ako could feel his presence as if the boy was silently standing next to her.

"Oh snap," Misa said as the student glanced at the clock. "Looks like our practice time is up."

As they filed outside, Sakurako asked if Misa was going with them to karaoke but the other girl declined, saying she needed to speak with somebody first. "You go on ahead and I'll catch up."

"How about you Ako?" the band's songwriter asked. "Do you want to come along?"

"Sure," she replied. "But I need to drop my instrument off at my room first."

"Makie," the girl called out as she pushed open the unlocked door to their dormitory room, but the gymnast was nowhere in sight. Frowning at her roommate's forgetfulness, she stepped inside and noticed a plain, white envelope lying on the floor. Curious, Ako picked it up and found her name written in carefully formed characters. Inside was a sheet of paper that was blank save for what appeared as the control panel for a video player and an email address in English letters.

'Bridgit Kildare at Blacknight dot ie,' she read and wondered what 'ie' stood for. Having been exposed to everyday magic, what some called practical magic, during her adventures in the Mundus Magicus, the girl sat down and pressed the black square. She was scarcely prepared for the image that materialized above the paper.

"Izumi-san," the antlered figure said as it bowed in greeting.

Shirabe was the leader of the music group Damashi and, according to several of Ako's classmates, a ministra of Professor Springfield's enemy. As kind as they were to her, except for Homura, she found it difficult to believe those girl's were responsible for the Magic World's near destruction. Even now her memories of them were fond recollections of performing before cheering crowds.

"Although you have little reason to trust me," the holograph said, "if you recall any of our friendship, I beg that you hear me out."

"I've heard that you are Springfield-san's partner," the message continued. "Perhaps you understand now why we have done what we did."

"At the end of last year's festival, Shiori's spirit was trapped within a cyber realm," Shirabe explained. "Unable to return to her body, her existence is less than that of a ghost."

Thinking back to her recent experience with the spirit's Sayo had exorcised, Ako's heart went out to the elven girl.

"I would not seek to involve you," at this the other girl's head bowed, "but we are no longer our own masters. Those who's will we must bow to will not allow us to aid our friend."

"Please Izumi-san," the figure said as it dropped to a knee in supplication. "I only have you and your friends to turn to."

"If you and your Magister deign to help, I can be contacted at the address written at the bottom of the sheet. I await your reply."

A strangled sob tore at Ako's throat as the image flickered and remained kneeling. She wasn't sure what to believe at that point. A part of her screamed that this was some sort of trap while another cried out to help. 'Negi-kun,' she desperately thought, 'I need to talk with Negi-kun.'

**(-)**

**Teacher's Dormitory**

'Dull, dull, duuuuull,' Lili thought as she rearranged the flowers for the umpteenth time. One could only watch so much television before all of the programs merged into a mind numbing sameness. And gazing out the window at all of the tasty tidbits walking about was plain frustrating. 'It could be worse,' the demon reassured herself. At least she wasn't cooped up with that undead midget she had for a jailer.

Lost in her thoughts, it took the demon a moment to realize someone had knocked. Smoothing out her cap and uniform before answering, she opened the door to find one of the shinme-ryu brat's classmates in the hall. One corner of Lili's mouth curled upward into an odd, half smile. "Why hello Kakizaki-san," she greeted the cheerleader turned magic girl in training. "Ishikawa-san isn't in."

Eyes hungrily roamed over the suddenly self-conscious teen who shivered as a chill ran up her spine. "I, uh, came to speak with you," Misa said.

"Come in," the succubus nearly purred as she swung the door further open and stepped aside. As the girl crossed the threshold, LIli mentally added, 'said the spider to the fly.'

"Please be seated," she said, indicating one of the cushions about a low table. "Tea?"

'No, no thank you."

"What shall we talk about?" Lili asked as she settled in close to the girl.

Misa immediately scooted away. "I want you to expose my homeroom teacher as a playboy."

Propping her elbows on the table and resting her chin on interlaced fingers, Lili stared at her nervous guest. "And how do you propose I do that."

"Well … I thought you could … um you know …"

"Let me get this straight … you want me to seduce your teacher? In front of witnesses?" Lili considered that for a moment. Since Markham-sensei wasn't one of that half-breed sword swinger's classmates, he wasn't covered by the promise forced upon her. "So what exactly are you offering to pay me for this service?"

"Pay?" The student looked astonished by the question.

"Yes pay," the demonic maid answered as she edged closer. "You can't get something for nothing."

Once more the cheerleader moved to maintain their distance. "I thought that … isn't that what a succubus does?"

"Ah but there's a difference between what I do to survive and making a bargain with a mortal." The lilim could barely contain her amusement as she advanced cat like around the table to be matched by the human's retreat.

"I'm not making a bargain," Misa hastily responded. "I want Madoka to see what a…" The girl's mouth shut with an audible click.

A sly smile appeared on her face. "So this is about your friend," the demon accused. "Are you afraid she likes this man more than she does you?"

"No … I …"

"Do you want her for yourself?"

"Of … of course not," Misa stammered. "I have a boyfriend."

Lili clapped both hands over her mouth and rocked with laughter. "Alright Kakizaki-san," she said after the initial outburst had passed. "I'll help you."

Grabbing a strip of paper and charcoal pen from the mistress's supply, the demon drew an intricate design and handed it to Misa. "Place this talisman under your friend's pillow."

"What is this for?" the girl asked, suddenly suspicious.

"After somebody blabbed, I'm not allowed to leave this room," Lili answered. "The talisman will let me interact with your friend's dream self."

"Take it if you want my assistance," the demon said as Misa hesitated.

"What are you going to do to Madoka?"

"Exactly as you asked," she replied. "I'll show her what kind of man your sensei is."

(-)

The last 24 hours had certainly held a number of shocks and surprises Negi thought as the weary teacher opened the door to his room. One more shock awaited him as he found one of his partners waiting on the couch. Ako quickly stood up and faced him as Chamo, perched on the back of the couch, blew out a perfect ring of smoke. Removing the cigarette, the weasel simply said "You have a visitor Big Brother."

"Ako-san," Negi exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

In her hand was clutched a folded piece of paper. "I found this in my room," she answered. "It's from Shirabe-san."

After watching the message for a third time, he leaned back against the cushions. The ministra's plea for help sounded sincere and it matched what Zazie had told him earlier. 'But why approach Ako-san?' he thought. Recruited by Damashi to replace their missing bass player, Ako's natural talent had manifested and had actually helped Fate's plan to lower everyone's resistance to the mass petrification spell set off on the festival's final day.

Shirabe acted very protectively of Ako after the pale-haired girl had been kidnapped by a disgruntled bounty hunter and almost slain. However, Negi couldn't decide if it was prompted by worry over their plans going awry or a genuine concern about the girl's welfare. The same held true for this plea. "This could be a trap," he said.

"I know," Ako responded. "But … but I want to believe her."

"Fate Averruncus isn't exactly friendly," Chamo reminded her. "You recall what he did to Aniki at the Gateport?"

"I remember," she replied as the teen's gaze fell to her lap. "But wouldn't we do anything to help each other?"

Negi could see his ministra's eye glisten as she lifted her head and gazed straight into his face. "Why should Fate's ministra feel any differently about each other than yours?"

Sitting up, he gently grasped her by the shoulders. "There's no reason they should be different," Negi answered. "But I have to be suspicious of anything they say. To do otherwise would put you and the others needlessly at risk."

(-)

**Buenos Aires, Argentina**

Carefully holding a potted plant in the crock of her arm, Shirabe walked up the steps to her apartment building and through the revolving door into its heated lobby.

"Senorita," a voice with a jarring German accent called out as the girl reached to press the elevator button. "Senorita Shidou."

"Senor Steinbauer," she replied as her aged landlord, an Austrian who immigrated during the 1950s, approached.

"Let me get the elevator for you senorita," the man offered. "You have mail."

"What is it?" she asked as the man placed a single envelope into her hand. She could feel that it had been slit open.

"It's just a notice from the electric company that residential rates are still frozen," Senor Steinbauer answered. "So unscrupulous landlords like me shouldn't raise your rent to cover increased utility costs."

"I doubt the senor would take such advantage," she responded. "After all you handle my mail, see my bills are paid and treat me like a daughter."

"Well I have a weakness for pretty girls who play the violin as sweetly as an angel," the old man told her and then paused. "That is a most interesting plant senorita."

"I bought it at the Japanese Gardens," Shirabe said in response. "It's called a Dragon Tree."

Elevator doors swooshed open as she bid the man good day and stepped inside. Blind for most of her life, Shirabe had sharpened her other senses as well as developed her magic talents to compensate. She was certainly no longer the helpless child who had been turned out of her village all those years ago. After placing her items onto a side table, the ministra sat in front of an open laptop and tapped in her account name and password on the Braille keyboard.

She had just enough time to check her mail before having to change. One needed to look one's best when entertaining a group of government and banking officials. Why her masters cared who the government chose to restructure its debt with wasn't the girl's concern, Shirabe just needed to report on who the front runners were.

After printing off the single message received, sensitive fingers touched the raised characters and paused as she recognized the sender's name, Izumi.

(-)

**Teacher's Dormitory, Mahora Japan**

Ako finished typing in her reply and then turned to Negi. "Does this look okay Professor?"

Negi, with Chamo perched on his shoulder, reviewed the message before nodding in agreement. Ako pressed the send key and they waited for Shirabe's reply. How a blind person could communicate via email was beyond him, though it was obviously possible.

Nervously he moved the mouse to prevent activating his computer's screen saver. Besides preventing the bother of having to unlock the computer, that application was set to display images from picture files stored on the hard drive. Among those many files was a certain picture of a certain girl dressed in a certain bunny costume that, considering his present company, the boy would rather not have pop up on the monitor.

Several minutes later, an envelope icon flashed and Ako immediately opened the new message.

_I understand your hesitation, _the pair read, _but there is little proof I can offer of my intentions except to point out that initiating this contact might be viewed as a betrayal by those I serve. However, I am in no position to aid Shiori and I fear that any further delay will render her return impossible._

Ako typed their response, commencing a conversation expressed through electrons instead of words.

_Where is Shiori now?_

_I have not been able to locate her physical body though I've heard rumors that she was found by Governor-General Gödel's forces. During her final battle with Hasegawa-san, it seems that a very powerful security program was activated. This program captured Shiori's virtual self and has kept it trapped in cyberspace ever since._

_How do you know this?_

_I can't reveal that without giving away too much. Suffice to say that she is imprisoned in a server belonging to the late King Enteofushia's organization._

_And the location of this server?_

_In Total World's former headquarters in the Noctis Labyrinthus region. Your Magister should be able to find the location easily since his father and the man's companions destroyed much of it while rescuing some very important prisoners._

_Is the security program still active?_

_Most likely. The program was described to me as a fusion of high magic and high technology, able to absorb attacking programs and utilize them for its own defense. This could prove more difficult than breaking her out of Cerberus Infinity Prison._

_You're not doing a very good job of convincing us to agree._

_No I'm not, but then if you attempt a rescue I want you to succeed._

_We can't guarantee success._

_I know._

The words stared at them from the screen. Ako looked expectantly at him while Negi wrestled with his thoughts. It was dangerous to attempt such an action and even if successful they would aid their enemies while expending their own strength. Looking from the tactical perspective, it made no sense to even attempt this. Yet there was always more than a single side to any issue. The humane side argued to forget those other reasons and concentrate on the person in need. 'What would a magister mage do?' he silently asked. 'What would my father do?'

'No, that's the wrong question,' the youngster corrected. 'What do I want to do?'

"Tell Shirabe-san that we'll help."

"Thank you," the girl cried before throwing her arms about him and kissing him on the lips.

The door swung open and his roommate strolled into the apartment carrying a grocery bag. "Hi Guys. I picked up dinner," Phillip greeted and then paused as he noticed Ako. "Should I come back later?"

**(-)**

While Negi escorted a still blushing Ako back to the dormitory, Phillip set take out boxes on their tiny, dining table. Glancing over at the floor, he was puzzled to find Chamo standing over a scroll, unrolled across the carpet, with a brush clasped between paws. "What are you doing Albert?"

"I'm updating the list," the ermine cryptically answered.

Curious, he walked over and looked town at a matrix, noting that several familiar names were written down one side. "Doki doki?" he read aloud. "What kind of list is this?"

"We ermines are very sensitive to others' emotions," Chamo explained. "I've been tracking how the girls in Big Brother's former homeroom feel about him?"

"For what purpose?"

"Originally I wanted to identify those who were most likely to form a pactio with him," the ermine replied. "Now it's more of a hobby."

"What is that word?" Phillip asked as he pointed to one of the column headings.

"In English it would translate into 'Love Power'."

"Love Power?"

Chamo whiskers twitched as the ermine gazed up at him. "It's a measure of how willing the girl would be to uh, make a man out of Big Brother."

"A 62?" Phillip muttered in astonishment. "What's wrong with you Albert? Doesn't the kid have enough to worry about?"

"It's not as if I'm showing this to him," the ermine countered. "Besides, those girls would feel the same way about Big Brother whether I wrote it down or not."

"He's only eleven for goodness sakes."

"Well a 62 isn't that much higher than your …" Chamo started to say and then stopped.

"Go on." Phillip glared at white furred rodent. "You were saying."

"Way too much," Chamo answered while backing away.

Before either could take any further action, Negi returned. Carrying his staff in one hand and a rolled poster in the other, the boy stepped inside only to have his familiar swarm up a leg, crying "Aniki! Am I glad to see you!"

"That was quick," Phillip remarked while still contemplating mayhem upon the ermine. "Did you just see Miss Izumi out of the building?"

"Actually, we flew," the young mage answered. "I wanted to try something while there might still be time."

"Try what?" Chamo asked from atop the boy's shoulder.

"I asked Ako-san if she had a picture of Shirabe-san," Negi answered and then unrolled the poster. "She didn't but Makie-san brought this back as a souvenir."

Five girls, dressed in matching outfits, stared out from the poster. "Horns, antlers, cat ears," Phillip commented. "Looks like an advertisement for an anime convention."

Pointing to the girl with the antlers, Negi identified her as Shirabe. "I was hoping you might be able to use this Phillip-san."

Apprehension clawed at the man's gut as he looked from poster to boy and back again. "I thought you said she was blind?"

"She is as far as I can tell," Negi answered. "But some of your previous descriptions sounded as if you had merged consciousness. You felt my father being borne by a river current just as you felt Mana running from the ice storm."

"I wouldn't want to pressure you to do this Phillip-san," the youngster said, "but I do want to explore any possible advantage we might have."

"No pressure," Phillip murmured as he knelt and touched the girl's picture. A veil, dark and impenetrable, drew across his vision in response. Like with the photograph of Negi's father, he felt the sensation of water, only this time it was a spray against face and chest. Hands, lathered with soap, rubbed bare skin, starting under the chin and working their down neck and shoulders until encountering a pair of breasts.

A memory of making love to his wife while showering came to mind as those hands glided over and around the shapely contours. How many months had it been, Phillip wondered, since the last time he touched a woman like that.

'That's not what I'm here for,' a part of him responded, but Phillip, caught in the coils of longing, could no more pull himself away that a serpent's, fear-stricken victim. He felt the slight rise as fingers spread suds over a stomach before slipping down further. A gasp escaped as he forced a step back.

Warm, steamy water struck the back of his head as Phillip opened his eyes to a mass of damp, brown hair. The girl from the poster spun about and clamped her fist about his throat, seemingly unfazed by finding a strange man in her bath. Fingers tightened about his windpipe as he fumbled with the shower knob, twisting it far to the right and then ducking to let the now frigid water strike Shirabe full in the face.

Stunned, her grip loosened and Phillip shoved, sending both over the edge of the bath tub. They tangled in the shower curtain, ripping it from the rod, and then fell to the floor with thud. The teacher landed on top and rolled away as his assailant's hand went limp.

Old fashioned tiles pressed against the man's back as he gulped in a lungful of air. Shakily, Phillip got to his knees and noticed blood smeared across his fingers. Years of conditioning demanded that he retreat, find a safe place to hide and call for help. However, the figure half-wrapped in a vinyl sheet lay unmoving. 'This is war,' a part of him calmly stated. 'This is murder,' another just as calmly replied.

Checking for a pulse, the former sergeant heaved a sigh of relief at the steady throb. More red streaks stained the curtain but there appeared to be no more serious damage that an abrasion where her head struck the floor. As gently as possible, he untangled the unconscious girl from the curtain and carried her into the living room.

After depositing Shirabe on the couch, Phillip began to look for a clue as to where he was. An opened envelope lay on a nearby table. _Empresa de Electricidad de la Plata_ read bold letters, but it was the address below that caused the man's jaw to drop. He had somehow managed to teleport halfway around the world.

(-)

**Mahora, Japan**

Wearily, the headmaster leaned back in his chair after dotting the last 'i' and crossing the final 't' of the day. His stomach rumbled, reminding Konoemon that he hadn't eaten for some time. It was still early enough that he could have a proper meal rather than order out for noodles. 'French or Chinese?' he wondered. 'Or maybe that new Italian place?'

The intercom buzzed and he sighed before pressing the button. "Yes Akiko-kun?"

"You have a phone call on line 1 Konoe-sama," his receptionist replied. "It's long distance from Argentina."

"I'll take it." Perplexed, he pressed the receive key. "Konoe here."

"Buenos dias senor," a familiar voice replied through the static. "Como esta usted?"

Eyebrows rose and then dipped as the wheels of thought re-engaged. "Markham-san?"

"Yes sir," class 1A's homeroom teacher answered.

"You are in Argentina?" he asked.

"Near as I can tell I'm somewhere in downtown Buenos Aires," the American informed him. "Of course my Spanish isn't that good so it could be an outlying area."

"Why …?" the headmaster started to ask when Phillip interrupted.

"I don't really have the time to explain sir," the teacher said. "I have an injured combatant who needs medical attention. I think Negi-san called her Shirabe."

Shock gave way instantly to action. "Stay on the line Markham-san," the old man snapped and then removed his pactio card. Placing it against his forehead, the headmaster thought 'Toko-kun! I need you here! Now!'

-I'll be there in 10 minutes,- his ministra's responded.

'There's no time to waste,' he responded. 'I'll bring you here.'

Returning to the phone, he asked, "Do you have an address? Good! By the way Markham-san, do you like asado?"

(-)

A strange man, one whose scent she had not encountered before, had appeared in her shower. Shirabe had felt no heat from the flash of energy nor had her skin tingled in warning; one moment she was alone and the next he was there, with the smell of beef oozing from his pores. Detecting no magic, she had sought to throttle him into submission and thus had fallen prey to overconfidence.

When the girl awoke, she was laying upon a couch in an enclosed room. A ventilation system hummed in the background and judging by the pressure on her eardrums, the room was deep underground. She started to sit up and then fell back as her head began spinning.

"Move slowly," a man's voice warned a bit too late. "You've suffered a concussion."

Shirabe moved much more deliberately and managed a sitting position. "Who are you?"

"My name is Konoe Konoemon," the man replied. "I believe you are familiar with my granddaughter Konoka."

"And your friend?" Shirabe asked as sharp ears caught the faintest rustle of cloth beyond where the voice emanated from.

"Kuzunoha-san is my partner" the headmaster answered.

'The leader of the Kanto Magic Association and his shinmei-ryu mercenary,' she thought. 'This is bad.'

When Shirabe asked what the man wanted of her, his answer took her by surprise. "I wished to thank you for the opportunity you afforded one of my students at last year's Ostian Peace Festival," he answered. "I think the experience did much to build Izumi-san's self-confidence."

Izumi-san. Desperate to help her friend and fellow ministra Shiori, she had reached out to the enemy. She had trusted in the replacement bass player's innate good nature and desire to help even though Hasegawa-san had the closer relationship with the trapped elfin girl. Obviously she had made the wrong choice.

"You are welcome," Shirabe replied in a calm voice that belied her inner turmoil. Like after the debacle in Ostia, she had again failed her master and was trapped by enemies. "What will become of me now?"

"I believe the answer to that question depends upon you," Konoemon told her. "Would you like some tea?"

"No thank you," she politely declined. "What do you mean it depends upon me?"

"What I mean is that after you leave here, what you do is your decision."

"After … I … leave …" the words came out slowly as if her mind struggled to grasp the concept. "You're letting me go?"

"Well, I do want to have a little chat first," the headmaster answered, "but yes."

'It's a trap!' the ministra immediately thought. 'Could he have that little mind-reader of Springfield's around? Bookworm or whatever they called her?'

"What do you want to 'chat' about?" she asked even as the girl gathered energy for a blocking spell.

"I have heard tales of the woodwoses," he said. "However, I had thought they never left their forest homes. Was it war that drove you out?"

In all of her short life, no one had ever asked why she had left her home. Fate found the blind child in a tumbled down building, riding out a fierce storm. Unknown to Shirabe, one of the area's hungrier denizens had been stalking her. After dispatching the beast, the girl's future magister offered her a chance to be more than an outcast who literally sang for her supper; yet he had never asked how the youngster had come to be there. The spell was forgotten as memories of happier days, filled with sunshine, leafy green trees and brilliantly plumed birds, exploded forth only to be eclipsed by a growing darkness.

"No … not war," Shirabe answered. "It was blindness. When I became blind, my … my people decided they could not care for one who could not care for herself."

"And did Fate-san care for you?"

"Master Fate taught me how to use my talents to compensate," she snapped and then paused to regain her composure. "He showed me how to survive."

"Do you know the origin of the word Averruncus?" he asked but Shirabe only shook her head.

"Averruncus was a Roman deity of averting harm," the headmaster said. "Many say the name comes from avertere, 'to turn away', but a more accurate meaning is averro, 'to sweep away'."

"Legends state that the Life Giver created many servants, the Averrunci, to sweep away the remnants of worlds, wiping the slate clean for a new creation," the old man continued. "Does it not bother you that your master seeks to destroy a world and more than a billion inhabitants?"

Hands clenched tightly on her lap as Shirabe fought for self-control. 'You're wrong!' she wanted to scream. 'Only by destroying the old can we hope to create a better world. A world free from war, from disease … one without slavery or hunger or poverty … without blindness; where no child shall ever be turned out into the wilderness alone.'

"Toko-kun," the headmaster called, "when she has recovered, assist our guest out."

"That's it?" Shirabe asked in disbelief. "You're letting me go just like that?"

"If I asked you to tell me your master's plans, would you?" Konoemon asked in return.

"No."

"Then I think our discussion is at an end," he replied. "There is one thing however. If you want your friend rescued, it would be best to never mention this conversation."

Konoemon watched as two sections of the wall slid apart to reveal a corridor and then closed back up after the two women disappeared down it. He'd have to remember to thank the Adenaurs later for the use of their facilities in Buenos Aries. A moment later another door opened and Markham-san entered, accompanied by one of the man's students.

"Did you get any information Nodoka-kun?" he asked the girl clutching a large book with both hands.

"Yes sir," the girl responded though her voice seemed to lack its normal enthusiasm. When he asked what was bothering her, Nodoka looked thoughtful for a moment before answering, "She's not a bad person."

"I never said she was bad," Konoemon reminded her. "Only that she is dangerous."

"But Shirabe-san thinks she's doing the right thing," the mind reader said.

"And that is what makes her and the others so dangerous," he replied.

(-)

**A/N: Chapter title and heading are from Shakespeare's 73 sonnet. Song played by Dekopin Rocket is "Colors" by Hikaru Utada**

**The Empresa de Electricidad de la Plata is a real utility company in Buenos Ares. I thought I had made up Blacknight, but turned out to be a real company based in Ireland. Art mirrors life, or is it the reverse?**

**Asado is Argentine grilled beef.**

**Next chapter is nearly done, but I'll give you time to digest this one first.**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: As promised, here is chapter 6. I had originally planned for Nagi to arrive and depart Tibet in nearly as many words as that, but I guess he had other ideas. So please enjoy the digression. Thank you Makuhari-Fan01 for your suggestions.**

**Ken Akamatsu still owns Negima. However, I do have my own nifty stable of characters.**

**Due to the multi-national character of this chapter, assume that if Japanese honorifics are used, characters are speaking in Japanese.**

**The following conventions are used: **"words", 'thoughts', _reading, _-telepathy- and **"spells" **

**Hero**

**We can dream our dreams, but who knows if they'll fade away like heroes** – Tasmin Archer

(-)

**Lhasa, Tibet**

From London to Amsterdam to Kathmandu and finally to Lhasa, Nagi had travelled halfway across the world and back chasing after answers to what became of his wife Anna. For years he had believed she died in Kyoto after giving birth to their son, then he'd been informed that she died in Kiev, Ukraine. Now, based on no more evidence than the recall of two ermine siblings and ten year old scribbles, he was going to return to the Mundus Magicus and learn the truth.

That Anna could have hidden so long wasn't particularly amazing, no one ever recognized the wandering drunk he had become until Negi's ninja friend pierced his disguise at Tengboche. But Regina Karkolova was a public figure. Not exactly the pose someone trying to hide their identity would use. Yet such an audacious ploy would have appealed to the daring woman Nagi had married.

Wheels squealed as they touched down on the runway and Nagi, still disguised as Eishun's youthful sword bearer, followed his supposed master into the terminal. A Tibetan girl, wearing a long sleeved, blue silk blouse underneath a dark robe that covered only one shoulder, waited in the arrival area. Her hair had been braided into coils on either side of her head and decorated with colorful pins and beads. A wide, serious looking face with a slightly flattened nose peered over a sign that had Konoe's name on it, written in Japanese characters.

"I didn't realize you were expected," the seeming boy muttered.

"Neither did I," Eishun whispered back as he boldly strode towards the greeter.

After the shinmei-ryu identified himself, the teen bowed and said, "The Tibetan Magic Association welcomes Konoe-sama to Lhasa. My name is Sangdong."

Eishun responded with his own bow. "I am honored Sangdong-san," he said. "And this is my servant Takeshi."

"Please be welcome too Takeshi-san," she replied and then draped a white, silk scarf around the swordsman's shoulders before kissing the man on both cheeks. "Tashi Delek."

"That means good luck," she explained. "If you'll follow me, I'll take you to the hotel."

"What about claiming our bags and clearing customs?" Eishun asked.

"You are already cleared to enter the country," she replied as a grin broke out across her coppery complexioned face, revealing dimpled cheeks. "And your luggage is being taken care of right now."

As they followed their hostess through the lobby, Nagi good-naturedly complained, "Why do you get a welcome gift?"

"Sometimes it's good to be the king," his companion answered.

Outside the terminal, a man in a chauffeur's, charcoal grey uniform loaded suitcases into the trunk of a limousine. In the distance, snow-capped mountains rose into majestically blue skies. Once they were seated, the car pulled away and was soon cruising down the highway at a steady 100 kilometers per hour. Nagi felt the constant jolt as tires encountered joints between slabs laid down to form the road. Sangdong had picked up a book from the seat and held it across her lap. Their hostess' arm obscured most of the title, but he could pick out '_from Wales_' written in the Greek-like script common to the Magic World. "What book is that?" he asked.

"Oh, its Hieronymus Cardia's 'The Boy from Wales'," she excitedly answered and held up the cover for them to see. Nagi's jaw dropped at the familiar face that stared back as Eishun read aloud, "The Authorized Biography of Negi Springfield."

"I hadn't realized the young man's popularity reached outside of the Magic World," the swordsman remarked.

"I'm the president of the Lhasa chapter of his fan club," the girl announced so enthusiastically that Nagi felt as if his stomach had dropped down an elevator shaft.

"I do not wish to pry Konoe-sama," Sangdong said as her expression grew serious, "but is it true that Springfield-san is betrothed?"

"Be … be … betrothed!" Nagi sputtered.

"I'm not aware of any betrothal Sangdong-san," Eishun hastily answered. "Where ever did you hear of this?"

Chewing on her bottom lip, she pulled a rolled-up magazine from the folds of her robe. The cover was a busy collection of words and photos like many other publications popular among teen girls. Flipping through dog-eared pages, she found an article and thrust it towards the men. Next to the young mage's picture, bold letters asked '_Are Wedding Bells in Negi's Future_'.

_Is Negi betrothed? That question has been on everyone's mind recently. Our reporter attended a recent ball in Megalo-Mesembria and posed the question to the young hero. "I'm still working on becoming a Magister Mage," he replied. "Thoughts of marriage and raising a family are the farthest thing from my mind." While Negi's sentiments are commendable, the number of woman jostling to get on his dance card indicates it is a decision that he may face sooner rather than later. Among the many possible contenders are:_

"_Konoka Konoe, the only child of Ala Rubra hero Eishun Konoe and the heir apparent of the Kanto and Kansai Magic Associations_," Eishun read aloud while staring at a glossy photograph of his daughter dancing with Negi.

"It gets worse," Nagi said as he glanced at the next photo.

_Asuna Kagurazaka, a recently reappeared member of the Teotanasian family is said to be a close, personal friend of Negi's and like her rival Konoka, may have already formed a provisional pactio with the young mage. Rumor has it that Asuna is a long lost descendant of the former rulers of Ostia, so Negi may be marrying into royalty._

_Speaking of royalty_, the article continued, _Third Princess Theodora of the Hellas Empire may have caught his eye._

Nagi paused as he looked at the photo of a chibified Theo in his son's arms.

_The Princess was_ _under a youth enchantment for their dance and the pair waltzed gracefully about the ballroom floor. Many were heard to comment on what a lovely couple they made._

"I wouldn't give this too much credence Sangdong-san," Eishun said. "These sorts of magazines …"

Nagi didn't hear the rest as his eyes fell across the fourth and final photograph.

_A dark horse candidate may be Emily Sevensheep, daughter of KitNews reporter Cycilia Sevensheep. While Emily is in training to become a member of Ariadne's famed Valkyrie Brigade, this reporter noticed a certain closeness between the pair. It is also worth noting that there is a family precedence for this sort of match as Negi's own mother, Anna Adenaur, resigned from the same Valkyrie Brigade to marry the heroic Nagi Springfield._

A short while later, the limousine pulled into a huge parking lot before stopping in front of a multi-story building painted in garish tones of blue and pink. "That's a hotel?" Nagi asked their hostess.

"This is the Royal Lhasa Hotel," Sangdong answered.

"It looks more like a theater," he opined, "or a discotheque."

Inside, the hotel lobby was just as colorful. Every wooden surface was painted in vivid colors while the walls were left a bare white. The effect struck Nagi like a blank canvas surrounded by an ornate frame. An older man in a western-style suit followed by a young bellhop approached.

"Welcome Konoe-sama," the older man said as he bowed. "We have the Presidential Suite prepared for you sir."

Nagi noticed Sangdong smile at the bellhop who seemed caught between returning it and maintaining a business-like demeanor.

"Tenzin," the older man called. "Take their bags to the Presidential Suite."

"That won't be necessary," Eishun said with a wry grin. "My servant will take care of our suitcases."

The hotel's manager escorted them to their rooms. "The master bedroom is on the left," the man told them, "and the master bath has a Jacuzzi."

Both men gazed about the well appointed room. "Very nice to be the king," Nagi muttered under his breath.

"I hope this will be acceptable Konoe-sama?" the manager asked.

"The rooms are more than acceptable," Eishun answered.

After the manager departed, Nagi let the bags clatter to the floor. "My servant huh?"

"We do need to keep up appearances don't we," the swordsman answered.

"So who's the leader of the Tibetan Magic Association?"

"Well technically that would be the Dali Lama," Eishun responded. "However, I understand his holiness turned it over to a follower whose identity is unknown to outsiders."

"You don't think they'd object to me using their gateport do you?"

"I doubt they'd object to Nagi Springfield making the request," Eishun answered. "Takeshi on the other hand …"

Further conversation was interrupted by a soft rapping on the door. Nagi answered to find the bellboy standing in the hallway. "This is for Konoe-sama," the hop said.

A small, white envelope rested on a silver tray in the young man's hands. Nagi stared indecisively, trying to recall if it was proper protocol to take only the letter or the entire tray when Eishun walked up and said, "I'll handle this Takeshi."

The swordsman set down a tip before picking up the letter and opening it. "We've been invited to dinner party at the Nepal Consulate," Eishun said and then thought for a moment. "Can the hotel arrange for transportation young man?"

"Certainly sir," came the swift reply.

"Then please forward our acceptance to the Consulate-General."

(-)

Promptly at six o'clock, a knock sounded and Nagi opened the door to find Sangdong waiting. Gone was traditional garb the girl wore earlier, replaced by a silk cheongsam. Though it remained braided, the beads and pins had been removed from her hair as well. "I am to escort you and Konoe-sama to the Consulate if that is acceptable."

Stopping in front of a building from which Nepal's uniquely shaped flag was draped, Nagi noted how large it was for a minor diplomatic post. "This used to be Nepal's Embassy when Tibet was its own country," the girl answered.

Party goers, dressed in formal attire, clustered in small groups throughout the vast consulate. Their guide led them unerringly to the evening's host.

"Consul Koirala," Sangdong said before gesturing to the man at her side. "This is Eishun Konoe, representing the Kansai Business Association."

Turning back to her guests, the teen explained, "Padma Koirala is Nepal's Consul-General to Lhasa."

"I have heard much about your good work sir," the diplomat responded. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine Consul-General," Eishun remarked.

"And this young man," Padma asked, "is a relative perhaps?"

"No sir, Takeshi is an orphan who I've taken on as my assistant."

"I see," the man replied. "If it is not too much trouble, I have something I'd like you to examine. I collect weaponry and recently acquired a katana that I am told belonged to Musashi Miyamoto. Would you be able to verify if this is true?"

"I'm not an expert on such things," the swordsman confessed, "but I'd be happy to have a look at it."

"I'm sure these young people wouldn't find any interest in this. Why don't you two take a walk in the garden?" the diplomat suggested.

Entering the study, Eishun immediately notice the two men seated inside. One was an aged Chinese man with flowing, white hair and beard. The elder was dressed in brocaded robes that would not have appeared out of place in the Imperial court of more than a century ago. While that one was a stranger, the second he recognized as the hotel's manager, though the man had traded in his business suit for the red and saffron robes of a monk.

"A long delayed welcome Master Konoe," the monk said while rising in greeting. "My name is Sonam Sampten. I am the association's chief in the absence of our blessed leader. And this is the reverend Cheng Chi Lui, our counterpart with the Beijing Magic Association."

"I am honored gentlemen," Eishun said, "but puzzled at such a secretive gathering."

"We would rather dispense with the clock and dagger theatrics," Padma responded, "but we must work around the restrictions our various governments impose."

"Upon hearing you were bound for the Potala Palace," Sonam added, "we decided to invite you here to discuss a delicate matter."

Although interested in knowing how word of his plans leaked out, Eishun decided to let that pass. "And what matter is that?"

An awkward silence filled the room until Chi Lui cleared his throat. "Is it your intention that young Springfield marries your daughter?" the elder asked in a thin, reedy voice.

Eishun had been asked that question nearly daily ever since it was announced that Negi would teach at Mahora. While the Kansai Association's leader had no reservation over such a match, many of his fellow members were appalled by the notion that their future head would wed a 'Westerner'. In a way, Konoka having shown an interest in a young man of acceptable heritage was a relief, though it didn't stop the various factions from proposing other candidates.

"Too many of my people oppose such a union," he answered. "To allow it would be counter-productive to the eventual merging of the associations."

"What of his former students?" Chi Lui asked. "I understand he has a provisional pactio with several of them."

Eishun ran a stern gaze over the other men. "Gentlemen, let us be frank with one another. Why are you all concerned about whom the boy marries?"

"We are disturbed by what as yet are unconfirmed rumors from the Mundus Magicus," Sonam admitted. "There are several moves afoot to rally the son of the Thousand Master to one side or another, including an offer of a marriage alliance with the Hellas Empire."

"…. Hellas Empire?" Eishun said in an astonished voice. The First Imperial Princess had recently given birth, but that child might be too close to the throne for the court's comfort. Theo was still single and, as the Third Princess, sufficiently removed from inheriting the throne to be a possibility. He shook his head to dislodge the image of the two dancing from the magazine article. "Even if true, why would this be cause for worry?"

The three men glanced at one another and seemed to come to an unspoken agreement. "We would rather young Springfield's ties be to our world instead of the Mundus Magicus," Chi Lui answered.

"Why?"

"We are alarmed by the rising militancy among the nations of the Mundus Magicus," Sonam said. "The fear is that they will eventually turn upon us."

"Their latest generation of weapons is far superior to what our world could field against them," Padma added. "It would be like fighting a stinger missile with a sling."

"Is such talk warranted?" Eishun countered. "I've heard no word spoken of how we oppress our neighbors or their need for scarce resources; nothing at all to indicate such fears are justified."

"Not in the street perhaps," Chi Lui agreed, "but it is being whispered in the upper levels of both Hellas and the Alliance."

"Outside agitators are blamed for last year's incident at Ostia," Sonam accused. "And have you heard the latest Separatist claptrap about the 'contamination' spilling from the Old World? The spate of bombings in the capitol is proof that our 'madness must be halted before it infects any further'."

Eishun gazed at these men. They were intelligent, powerful, leaders among their people, and filled with what he would have termed paranoid delusions. However, not one of them struck him as the type to cower under the blankets at a mere bump in the night. Could there be real cause for their concern?

(-)

They had strolled across the garden to a fountain in its center and listened to a gentle tinkling as the sun sank behind the western peaks. Nagi was anxious to be off to the Mundus Magicus, yet felt torn at the same time. He wanted to find Anna and he wanted to stay near Negi. Leaving was like abandoning his son … again.

In the years since the debacle at Istanbul, Nagi would often counter this feeling by saying he was in no shape to be a father, and though correct, it offered little consolation. The sad truth was that the Thousand Master, the man who defeated the Life Giver, was terrified by parenthood. Casting a complex spell he'd only heard a description of was a cinch. Battling a few hundred demons … a snap; however, helping his boy navigate the snares and pitfalls of growing up left the mage shaking in his boots. Facing the Life Giver and all of Kosmos Entelechia was an easier prospect by far.

"You seem deep in thought Takeshi-san," the girl at his side observed.

"I'm a little anxious," he replied, forcing a smile for her benefit. "I need to return to the Mundus Magicus and my master is trying to arrange for passage."

Eager to change the subject, Nagi asked the girl why she joined Negi's fan club. Taken aback by the question, Sangdong paused before responding with "Why wouldn't I?"

"There aren't many people who have saved a world," she explained. "Springfield-san is cleaver, bold and decisive … he is strong enough to show mercy to the vanquished … a true leader … why wouldn't I idolize that as opposed to a cute boy that can sing while twirling around a stage?"

"I hadn't thought about it in that way before," Nagi admitted. "But what if Springfield-san isn't like how the magazines picture him to be?"

Sangdong again chewed her bottom lip while considering an answer. "I think it would be hard for anyone to be as perfect as the magazines portray," the girl finally said. "But heroes should inspire each of us to do better, not be examples of perfection beyond our ability to reach."

Listening to the Tibetan girl, Nagi wished more of his fans had expressed such ideas. But then again, did he ever give them an honest chance to? Not wanting to be crushed a horde of admirers, he had held himself aloof, only letting a few close for any length of time. Perhaps more would have been like Sangdong; however, at times they seemed an endless army, wanting to snag a tiny piece of him until there would be nothing left. Would this be Negi's fate as well?

(-)

"You worked a little later than expected," Sangdong commented as the couple walked outside of the Royal Lhasa Hotel.

"I'm sorry but there was a lot to do with so many guests," Tenzin, still dressed in his uniform, complained. "I can't imagine what it will be like when the gates are open more than once per month."

"So how was the party?" he asked.

"Boring except when Takeshi was around," she answered. "I enjoyed having somebody my age to talk with."

"Is that such a good idea?" her escort asked. "I mean, what do you know about him?"

"Well … he is Master Konoe's assistant."

"Another complete stranger," Tenzin pointed out.

"If I didn't know better … I'd say you were jealous," the girl countered.

"Me? Jealous? Ha!" he responded. "Why should I be jealous?"

"Possibly because Takeshi is well-mannered, attentive, cute, is willing to discuss things I want to," she listed while ticking off fingers, "and doesn't treat me like his younger sister."

"I don't treat you like my sister," the young man protested and then stopped in his tracks. "What do you mean by he's cute?"

"I mean cute, attractive, good looking, easy on the eyes …"

"I get the idea," Tenzin said as he grabbed her by the arms. An embarrassed flush colored his face as he released the hold. "Look Sangdong, all I'm saying is that you should be wary of strangers."

Halfway across the hotel's parking lot, the couple stared at each other for a few minutes. "I'll be careful," she promised.

"I don't want you to disappear like," he started to say when a parked car's headlights flashed on.

Hidden by their glare, the car's side doors opened and two figures stepped out. "Miss Nyima," a voice called out in Chinese. "You will come with us."

"Run!" Tenzin said as he pushed her down the aisle.

Knowing Tenzin would be safer without her there, Sangdong fled. Heels furiously clicked against the asphalt as she heard an engine roar to life, followed by the squeal of tires. Glancing over her shoulder, the teen didn't see the dark shape loom out of the surrounding shadows until running into him. Hands clamped down on her arms as fingers cruelly dug into flesh; try as she might, the girl was unable to twist out of the man's grasp. "Stop struggling," a smooth as silk voice commanded. Looking up, she noted lips fixed into a smirk. A pair of eyes, surrounded by unwrinkled skin yet surmounted by snow white eyebrows, gazed back at her. "We've been looking for you for a very long time Miss Nyima."

(-)

"I can't believe you left both key cards in the room," Eishun grumbled as the pair made their way back to the front desk.

"I could have gotten us back in," Nagi protested.

"I'd rather not have the damages added to my bill," his friend countered.

As they approached the counter, one of the hotel's bellhops stumbled into the lobby. "Help," Tenzin weakly called out. "They have her …"

Nagi and Eishun raced over as the young man collapsed to the floor. Tenzin's uniform was torn and tiny pebbles adhered to the uniform coat. The swordsman ran a practiced hand down one side, causing the injured man to wince in pain. "Possibly a bruised rib or two, but no broken bones," the shinmei-ryu pronounced.

"What happened?" Nagi asked.

"Two men surprised us in the parking lot," Tenzin answered. "They nearly ran me over and I think they kidnapped Sangdong."

"Who were they?"

"I … I don't know," the bellhop replied. "They spoke Chinese and drove a black sedan."

"Do you know where they're taking her?" Eishun asked.

"Well … it could be north into China proper," Tenzin hesitantly suggested.

"There's only one highway going north," Nagi said as he rose to his feet. "I'll take care of it."

"Actually, there are two roads," the bellboy told them. "But they join below Damxung and the western one is in better condition."

As Nagi raced outside, Eishun turned to the anxious looking man. "We'll see about getting you medical attention," the swordsman said. "And then you can tell me what's going on."

(-)

"Turn off here," the man with white eyebrows ordered the driver. The car lurched as it swerved off the main highway. "Don't look so apprehensive Miss Nyima."

"I told you that you've made a mistake," the girl wearily replied. "My name is Drolma."

"So you've said for the last 90 minutes," her abductor observed. "You should be happy at the thought of seeing your family again."

"My family?"

"That's right," he replied. "You're going to be reunited soon."

"Liar!" the girl shot back. "My family is dead!"

"No," he denied in his calm tone. "The government moved them to a distant city so your brother would not be used by agitators and other enemies of the state."

"Far away from their regressive ideas, he's grown up healthy and normal," the man continued.

"What the …?" the driver exclaimed. "Hey boss! Look at this!"

Headlight beams revealed a boy holding an oddly twisted staff, standing in the middle of the road.

"Takeshi," Sangdong whispered as eyes widened in amazement.

"Don't slow you idiot!" the leader demanded.

A smile broadened on the young boy's face as he brought the staff forward and held it in a swordsman's stance. A moment more and Sangdong knew the car would crush the teen, but then he vanished. "Boss!" the driver shouted, mirroring her own astonishment.

(-)

As the auto passed beneath him, Nagi slashed down with his staff in a perfect imitation of his longtime friend's ougi zantetsusen. Ki struck the vehicle, shearing it cleanly in two. The halves of the sedan ploughed into the dirt shoulders, raising a cloud of dust in their wake. Nagi landed and spun about as the wreckage slid to a halt. He quickly ran over to one side and called "Sangdong-san!"

"Takeshi-san," he heard in between the coughing. A seatbelt unbuckled and Nagi brought the staff down on one of the kidnapper's as the man struggled with his safety harness.

"Very nicely done," a suave voice remarked, causing Nagi to turn about. The man looked to be in his mid to late twenties but had completely white eyebrows. "Shinmei-ryu if I'm not mistaken."

"I hope you realize the trouble you just stepped into young man?" the stranger warned. "I'm with the Ministry of Public Security and this girl is in protective custody."

"Not anymore," Nagi replied.

"Don't be a fool boy," the abductor said. "You're good I'll grant you, but you're definitely out of your league."

"There's only one way to know."

"Takeshi-san! Don't!" Sangdong pleaded as she scrambled to her feet, but Nagi merely moved into a stance.

"You should listen to her," his opponent said while pulling a pactio card from a coat pocket. "Last chance."

"Can I know the name of the man I'm going to beat?" Nagi asked.

"Call me Baimei," the other answered. "**Adeat**."

A pair of curved swords shimmered into existence. Plucking the twin dao from the air, Baimei grinned and began to circle in a clockwise fashion. Disdaining to wait, Nagi leapt to the attack. A sharp clack resounded as blade blocked staff. Nagi shifted the staff down to deflect a stroke at his legs and then snapped the end upwards, catching his opponent under the chin.

Baimei staggered back but as Nagi lunged to press his advantage, the other man thrust one of the matched dao forward. Nagi vaulted up and somersaulted over his opponent. He landed in a crouch with the staff held above his head, blocking an overhand blow. The combatants leapt away from one another. Baimei was breathing heavier while the seeming boy appeared hardly winded at all.

"Are you just toying with me or what?" the other man angrily demanded.

"I just want you to feel you're doing well."

Nagi watched as tiny flames flickered along the length of one of the blades while the other became rimed with frost. "Then try this!"

(-)

Sangdong watched in horrified fascination as the two swordsmen resumed their battle with movements so quick that she found it difficult to keep up. Shinmei-ryu had a reputation as unbeatable warriors, and the teen decided it must be deserved if a mere apprentice could fight so well. "He may not be a Negi Springfield," the girl thought admiringly, "but Takeshi is amazing."

A nearby rustle caught her attention as the driver finished extracting himself from the car's shell. Sangdong froze as the man drew out a pistol from beneath his coat. In her short life, the girl had never once raised her hand in anger. But upon seeing the kidnapper aim at the boy's unprotected back, she didn't hesitate. "**Saggita Magica!**" Arrows of light simultaneously struck the gunman's hand, arm and shoulder just as the end of Takeshi's staff sank into his enemy's stomach.

(-)

A shot rang out as Baimei doubled over the end of his staff. Nagi clubbed the stunned man over the head before whirling around. He found the driver lying on the ground, with little wisps of smoke rising into the air. "Sangdong-san," he called. Her arm was still lifted from launching a spell and a shocked expression filled the girl's face. "Are you alright?"

"I've never cast a spell to harm another," her stunned voice answered, "… but I couldn't let him hurt you."

Baimei groaned and Nagi grasped her arm in response. "We need to go," he said. "Can you fly?"

"I … uh …"

"Never mind," Nagi said. "I'll carry both of us."

In a moonless sky high above the Tibetan plain, Nagi guided his staff southward, back towards Lhasa. It was a nice, little scuffle he decided, instead of a pitched battle. Of more concern was the fact that he, and Sangdong, had taken down three state security officers, at least if the man who called himself Baimei could be believed. While his own well-being wasn't endangered, the same couldn't be said of the girl or anyone she knew.

"How are you feeling now?" he asked.

"I'm better," the teen answered. "Thank you for rescuing me."

"You're welcome," he responded. "Why is the Chinese government after you? Are you in some sort of trouble?"

'Idiot!' he mentally scolded himself. 'Of course she's in trouble!'

Her arms tightened about Nagi's waist as the girl leaned closer against him. "My family's name is Nyima," she said as her breath blew softly against his cheek. "Nine years ago, my brother Gedhun was revealed as the successor to the tenth Panchen Lama. The government had selected their own candidate and had my brother and family arrested. I was visiting relatives in another town, so I alone escaped and have been hiding since."

"What will you do now?"

"I don't know," Sangdong answered. "It looks like I can't hide any longer."

"What is that?" Nagi asked as the whine of rotors sounded behind them. Glancing over his shoulder, the mage saw lights shining as a helicopter rapidly approached. "We've got company."

While mages could perform many amazing feats, outracing aircraft wasn't one of them. Although he was more maneuverable, the helicopter could easily double, maybe even triple, his speed. And multiple shundos with another person was something done only under extremis. Noting the dark shapes projecting from both sides of the craft, he decided it might be extreme soon enough.

"This is the Ministry of Public Security," a voice boomed over a loud speaker. "You will land immediately and surrender."

'Bloody hell!' he thought as the staff banked left. Once again the ultimatum was issued as the copter followed in pursuit.

"Let them take me," Sangdong told him. "My freedom isn't worth risking your life for."

"This is your final warning," the loud speaker boomed.

"You remember what you said about heroes inspiring you to do better?" Nagi asked.

"Yes," the girl replied.

"I'm inspired!" he shouted. "Hang on!"

Pulling the front of the staff upwards, they soared straight up and then rolled over into a loop. Sangdong gripped him so tightly that he feared they might permanently fuse together. After leveling out, they wound up trailing their hunters. A burst of speed put them next to the aircraft.

"**Dios tukos!**" Nagi cried and a blade of lightning flashed in response, shearing away one of the side-mounted cannon and a skid. The copter began tilting as the pilot struggled to compensate for the sudden loss of weight. Meanwhile, the staff riding pair disappeared into the night.

(-)

Baimei watched from a distance as the damaged copter landed awkwardly. After ensuring that the crew made it safely out, the agent withdrew his card and placed it to his forehead. 'Elder Master,' he called.

-Report,- came the response.

'The girl was rescued as you wished,' he informed his magister. 'However, it was Konoe's apprentice not the master himself.'

-Interesting,- Baimei heard in the back of his mind. -It seems the former members of Ala Rubra still attract exceptional apprentices.-

'One more thing,' he thought. 'The boy knows Western magic in addition to the sword.'

-Most interesting,- the other mage replied. –Return immediately to Beijing with the others and await my further orders.-

'When will you be returning Elder Master?'

-After I'm sure that the Nyima girl makes it to Shangri La.-

With the link broken, Baimei stowed his pactio safely away and floated towards the men gathered about the downed aircraft. The evening's fight had been short but exhilarating none the less. He had feared not being able to make losing to the boy convincing, but Takeshi had proven a worthy opponent. Hopefully, they'd be able to cross blades again in the future and he could then take the boy's full measure.

(-)

**A/N: The chapter heading and title are from the song Hero by Tasmin Archer.**

**Since there are said to be 12 gates between the Old and New Worlds, I thought Tibet would be a good choice for one of them, and what better location for it than Tibet's Potala Palace? Naturally the gate connects to Shangri La. **

**The Khata is a white, silk scarf that is presented of special occasions including the arrival and departure of guests. Wishes for "Good Luck' (Tashi Delek) are often given at the time of presentation.**

**Hieronymus of Cardia was a Greek historian and contemporary of Alexander the Great.**

**Miyamoto Musashi, author of 'The Five Rings', may be Japan's most famous samurai. For those who wonder about whether a shinmei-ryu would use a staff in battle, Musashi fought his greatest duel armed with a boat oar.**

**Ougi Zantetsusen - Steel-cleaving flash, a shinmei-ryu technique capable of destroying metal. Why should Rakan be the only who can copy Eishun's technique?**

**Baimei – Chinese for "white eyebrows". It was a nickname for Ma Liang, a historical personage from China's Three Kingdoms period.**

**A dao is a single-edge, broad bladed sword and often referred to as a Chinese saber.**

**The Panchen Lama is the highest ranking Lama after the Dalai Lama within their sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Gedhun Nyima was announced as the Panchen Lama in 1995 and was later taken into protective custody by Chinese authorities and has not been seen in public since. **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews. Yeah Ansem, it is good to know people are reading. Now is the time to catch up on what characters in the Mundus Magicus are up to as well as a certain demon's intentions. **

**Ken Akamatsu owns Negima and I am shamelessly appropriating it for my own nefarious purposes. Hi'Ki and Momo Zosho, Cycilia Sevensheep and Chiho Masuda were created by Makuhari-Fan01 and are used with his permission. Other characters are of my own creation. Oh and while Marcato isn't quite the foppish type of character you mentioned, I hope he meets with your approval Fionn.**

**The following conventions are use: **"word", 'thoughts', '_writing' _and** "spells".**

**Dancing to the Music**

… **or breaking into seemingly meaningless gyrations, while partners disappear only to reappear again** – Anthony Powel

(-)

**Library, Dracogenia Mundus Magicus**

Craig Caldwell sat back and let the library's gentle quite lap around him. After his … the young treasure hunter groped for the word those two girls from the diner had used and then recalled it … posse had finished exploring a recently uncovered set of ruins in the Noctis Labyrinthus, they had recovered a ring whose secrets nobody in the guild could decipher. In appearance, it reminded the hunter of a finger clip used for slicing open envelopes. And though the eye-like stone set in the ring gave it a sinister appearance, he didn't believe it was a weapon.

For a moment, Craig closed his eyes and conjured up an image of that shaggy-haired girl who reminded him so much of a former sweetheart. The adventurer met Nodoka at the Ostian Festival, but the girl soon disappeared and he hadn't seen her again until after that … that … whatever the hell that wave thing was called, had passed around the entire world. After that, there was too much going on to find the time to speak to her and the next thing he knew, Aisha was hustling them all onto the Crescent Hawk. Sometimes he wished the sheep-eared woman would remember who was in charge of this here outfit.

Opening his eyes, Craig stared at the top of Aisha's head as his co-worker poured over the dusty volume opened before her. A line of white showed at the point where long, blonde tresses were parted. For all of the combat mage's faults, she was a definite asset to their party. He had lost track of the number of times her magic had saved their bacon. 'I wonder when Aisha's going to find a partner and leave us,' he wondered, surprised that the attractive woman had stayed despite all of the stormy periods between them. 'She certainly deserves better than a hand to mouth existence like ours.'

As if she knew she was the object of his gaze, Aisha looked up at him and scowled. "What's so amusing?"

"Nothing," Craig answered while trying unsuccessfully not to grin even more. "I'm taking a break before my head explodes from information overload."

From the expression on her face, he knew his fellow adventurer was thinking of a sufficiently sarcastic barb to lob in response when the rabbit-eared boy in charge of the library showed up.

"I found something," Hi'ki said as the librarian set a huge book down with a thump. Leather covers actually creaked in protest as they opened to the marked page. "There."

Crowding around the youngster, all of the hunters gazed down at an illuminated manuscript. On the left hand page was a picture of their ring, with the words _Comptina Daemonica_ written underneath. "Any information on what it does or how to use it?" Christian Danchecker asked.

"No, but do you see this note here," Hi'ki answered while pointing at marks scrawled along one edge of the page. "This refers to another book called "Ancient Artifacts and Magical Items'."

"Do you have that book?" Aisha asked in a hopeful tone.

"We do," the boy answered, "but it's been checked out for the past 15 years."

All of their faces fell at that. Lynn Garland looked thoughtfully at the librarian. "So why show us this?" the elf asked. "Do you have some idea where we can find it?"

"The book was checked out by one Jacobius Rakan," Hi'ki answered, drawing startled gasped from all of them.

"The Jacobius Rakan?" Craig asked.

"Is there another one you idiot?" Aisha tartly responded.

"But how can we find him," Christian asked. "No one knows where he lives."

Craig could see the grin build on the rabbit-boy's face. "What have you got?"

"Rakan's file doesn't list an address, but it did contain this." Hi'ki spread a map out on the table. In the center was a circle labeled Granicus and a dotted line meandering by several landmarks until it reached a black 'X' with the single word 'Jack' written next to it.

"Chris," Craig said, "Find out when the next shuttle out of here is due."

"There's a shuttle for Granicus that leaves at the end of every week," the librarian informed them.

"Great," he replied. "That will give you enough time to make arrangement to come along."

Four puzzled faces stared back at him. "Me? … But um," Hi'ki started to protest.

"Rakan has your book doesn't he?" Craig asked and waited for the boy to nod. "Then you need to go retrieve it. And we'll volunteer to escort you safely there."

(-)

To say that Hi'Ki liked carrots would be an understatement. Cooked or raw, grated or whole, pan-fried, oven-roasted or boiled and mashed, it didn't matter to the boy. Tonight however, he sat and picked at the orange-colored vegetables piled on his plate.

"What's bothering you son?" his mother asked. Hi'Ki looked up at the rabbit-eared woman who sat across the table from him.

"I found a clue those treasure hunters were looking for," he said.

"Well that's good news isn't it?" she asked.

"They asked me to go to Granicus with them to retrieve it," the boy said.

"Granicus?" the woman replied in astonishment. "Why would they want you to go with them to Granicus?"

"Because …," Hi'ki started and faltered as another question pushed forward. "Did father know the Ala Rubra?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"Fifteen years ago, Jacobius Rakan checked out a book and never returned it," he answered. "In all of his meticulously kept records, father never once mentions the missing book."

"Probably an oversight dear."

Familiar with the care his father had treated the library's collection, Hi'Ki knew better. "Do you believe that mom?"

Momo Zosho remained silent for a moment and then sighed. "No, your father loved his books almost as much as he loved us," she admitted. "Come with me son. I want to show you something."

Getting up from the kitchen table, she led Hi'Ki to her bedroom and seated him on the edge of the bed. After rummaging through a massive chest, Momo brought a framed photo to him. It was taken at what looked like Dracogenia's main dock and showed a number of figures standing before a moored ship.

"That's the Estimated Prophet," he exclaimed upon recognizing the vessel.

"That's right," his mother confirmed. "This picture was taken 16 years ago when the Estimated Prophet delivered a shipment of books donated by the City State of Ariadne."

"Is that father?" Hi'ki asked and watched his mother nod in agreement. "Who's that man shaking hands with him?"

"Captain Adenaur," Momo answered. "Father of the Captain Adenaur you know."

Slowly her finger swung over to another person standing to the pair's left. A young man, his face turned away from the camera as if addressing somebody out of the picture, carried a staff with its top third twisted into the shape of a lightning bolt.

"Nagi Springfield," the boy whispered. "Why would the Thousand Master be involved with delivering books?"

"I don't know what the connection between him and your father was," his mother replied, "but the Ala Rubra helped your father establish this library. Those donated books formed the core of our collection."

"Now a question for you young man," Momo said as he continued to stare at the photograph in amazement. "Do you want to go to Granicus?"

Before seeing the picture, Hi'Ki had been ambivalent about accompanying the group from the Treasure Hunter's Guild. Now however …

While not on par with the epic quests he had read, here was a mystery for the youngster to unravel. "I want to learn more about my father," he confessed as excitement grew within him.

"Then we should see about getting you packed," Momo said.

(-)

**Hellas Imperial Court, Mundus Magicus**

Wings banded black, brown and grey were folded back with only the tips jutting above his shoulders. Marcato Rallentando, Marquis of the Chalcean Marches, marched down the wide corridors of the imperial palace to where Princess Theodora had her offices. As commander of the forces charged with combating the recent demonic incursions, the warrior wanted to swiftly complete whatever bureaucratic nonsense it was that had dragged him in from the field.

Halting before a set of double doors, the noble carefully regarded two small, cloaked and hooded figures that barred his way. Though he had heard that these seeming children where brother and sister, Marcato could never figure out which one was which. In any case, the bird-man moved warily around the odd siblings. While his people were noted for their ferocity in battle, and deservedly so, he had seen the results of what the princess' bodyguards could do to those who threatened their mistress. "I have been summoned by her Imperial Highness, Third Princess Theodora of Hellas."

Hoods lifted enough to reveal a pair of youthful, smiling faces. Wordlessly, the children stepped aside as the double doors swung outwards. With precise steps the marquis marched across the floor, halted in front of a massive desk at exactly the prescribed distance away and snapped to attention. Theodora looked up from her paperwork at his approach. Behind the woman, a heavily muscled beast man quietly stood and Marcato wondered if the guard's bite was worse than his bark.

"Relax," the princess said. "If you hold yourself any more stiffly, your spine will snap."

Very slightly he eased his posture, drawing a sigh in response. "I have displeased your Highness?"

"No Marcato," Theodora replied. "I have a very important mission for you."

"You have an enemy that needs dealt with," he said, smiling at the thought. "Let me know the churl's name and I'll carve his hide into a thousand pieces."

"No enemies to be dealt with this time," she told him. "You are familiar with the situation over the Argyrean succession?"

Like any imperial peer, Marcato knew that the last Princess of Argyre had married the ruler of the equally small kingdom of Vespertatia. Lady Aricia Teotanasia had birthed a daughter and then died shortly after. The child, referred to as the Imperial Princess of the Twilight, was later executed for instigating the Bellum Schismatica, though how the youngster could have been guilty was a matter beyond his comprehension.

During last year's troubles, a previously unknown heir of the Teotanasians had been revealed in dramatic fashion by the girl drawing the ancient blade Caliburn in front of the assembled Council of Mages. While the girl's claim was indisputable, the legal issues surrounding her family's wealth were a tangled mess.

"To some extent your Highness," he answered. "I must confess that much of it confuses me."

"You are not alone in that," Theodora responded with a wry grin that was lost on the boy. "Probably due to political reasons, Asuna Teotanasia was raised in the Mundus Vetus in ignorance of her heritage. After the truth of her identity was established, she returned there in the company of her Magister Mage, Negi Springfield."

Eyes that rarely blinked widened in recognition of the name Springfield; a name that got the attention of one bored by the digression into politics. Feathers stirred by a draft, crowned the noble's head, making for an even stronger resemblance to the raptors of the Old World. The winged folk, as they named themselves, had a proud history and had served as the hereditary warders of the Empire's southern flanks for the last millennium. Though Marcato was young for his position, the blood of warriors flowed through his veins.

"It is your mission to go to the Mundus Vetus and bring Princess Asuna Teotanasia to court."

"Is this a rescue operation?" Marcato hopefully asked. "I'll take a hundred warriors with me and we'll fetch her back."

He was taken aback by a low growl that rose from the royal throat and the glare regal eyes gave him. "Your Highness?"

"This is not a rescue operation and you will take no one else with you!" the woman thundered. "Is that clear?"

"Yes your Highness."

"What you will do is travel through the Shangri La portal to the Mundus Vetus, disguised as a human, and locate the princess at a place called Mahora," Theodora ordered and thrust out a scroll sealed with the imperial sigil. "And when you find her, you will deliver this into her hands."

His head bowed in submission. "It will be as you command."

"Further," Theodora continued, "you will stay with her, providing whatever service the princess may require until she is presented to the Empress."

"Yes your Highness," Marcato replied. "How am I to recognize the princess?"

"She is enrolled at the Mahora School," Theodora told him. "Explain your mission to the school's headmaster and he will make the arrangements."

His face fell at her instructions. The marquis could handle the tone of rebuke in the princess' voice, but not the task given. He should be leading his troops against the demons who ravaged their homes, not playing escort to an off worlder. Still, the noble was bound by honor to obey a superior's orders.

"Marcato this is an important mission," Theodora said is a milder tone. "There may be some danger which is why you were selected. Princess Asuna and her Magister Mage have many powerful enemies who may seek to interfere. I am entrusting you to see her safely here."

Eyes shone brightly in response to the word danger as the winged boy's lips pulled back into a wide grin. "You can count on me your Highness."

(-)

**Campus Hospital, Ariadne Mundus Magicus**

Heels clicked on floor tiles as the ward's chief nurse strode down the hallway with an expression so grim that the other nurses scurried out of her path. A tray bearing a plastic cup of water and a single, white pill was carefully balanced on one hand as Hester Rache approached the guarded doorway. A Valkyrie in full battle armor regarded her as she announced, "Mister Oishi's evening medication."

While she readily conceded that the young man's life was in danger, the special guard detailed to protect him smacked of the same sort of mindless fawning bestowed upon those Crimson Wing idiots. The deeds performed by Nagi Springfield and the others were indeed heroic, but why should they eclipse the many heroic deeds performed almost daily during the Great War? 'At least this one doesn't have a comic book,' Hester thought to herself and then sourly added, 'yet.'

Entering the patient's room, she was assaulted by an acrid smelling cloud. Mister Oishi sat up on the bed, puffing away on a cigarette. Nurse Rache glanced over at the guard inside the room and noted the woman had activated her suit's breathing apparatus. Without missing a beat she set the tray down on the bedside table and glared. "Where did you get that from?"

"I bought them on the hospital's black market," he replied while extinguishing the half finished cigarette in the water cup. "I've been saving those sedatives you've been bringing and finally cashed them all in."

"Do you know that cigarettes contain chemicals that cause lung cancer?" she asked. "You breathe in those chemicals and they attach themselves to receptors on the gene responsible for turning healthy lung tissue cancerous."

"No," the young man answered. "Do you know how good a cigarette tastes first thing in the morning?"

Uncertain as to whether she felt more like laughing or backhanding her patient, Hester stood for a moment and then decided to do neither. "Where's your stash."

"In the top drawer," he answered.

To his surprise, she took one of the cigarettes and asked for a light. Seated on the edge of the bed, the woman with a hair lip took a slow drag and then asked, "Why do you have to be such an uncooperative pain in the ass?"

"It's my coping mechanism," Oishi responded. "You surprise me Nurse Rache. You almost seem likable."

"I could say the same about you Mister Oishi," she replied between puffs. "So what are you coping with?"

"The usual: travelling to strange places, encountering different customs, being in the public's eye."

"A lot of people would be thrilled to have so much attention lavished on them," Hester said.

"I'd just as soon continue to live in anonymity," he remarked. "Fame is nice for the first minute or two, but it gets old quickly."

"I'm curious, if you don't like the notoriety then why'd you become an agent?"

"It sure wasn't to get noticed," Oishi answered as he sank back against the raised mattress. "I blame it on hanging out with the wrong people."

"Oh like that girl who visited after you were admitted?" Hester asked as the corners of her mouth edged up slightly. "She didn't strike me as a bad influence."

"I didn't say she was," he replied and then quickly changed the subject. "Have you heard any word on when I'll be released?"

"According to Doctor Haejin, you're fully recovered," the chief nurse replied. "I think something was mentioned about tomorrow morning."

"Just in time to board the ship for Granicus," Oishi sighed. "Guess I shouldn't have expected anything different."

"I've got to get back to work," Hester said while tossing the unfinished cigarette into the same cup she had brought in. "By the way, that girl has stopped by every day to check on you."

"Nurse Rache, wait a minute," Oishi called out. "Does this place have a gift shop?"

"I don't think they'll accept either cigarettes or medication in lieu of cash," she remarked.

"Well if somebody would bring me my pants," her patient responded, "my wallet should still be in them."

(-)

Walking down the aisle, with a stuffed animal tucked between her arm and stomach, Beatrix Monroe scanned the shop's nearly bare shelves. As she had for the past few days, the cadet stopped by the hospital to check on Hiro and was informed that the young man was doing well but wasn't receiving any visitors. It seemed almost as if he was avoiding her.

Perhaps he decided that it wouldn't work out between them. Other girls she knew had been dumped like that. The boy suddenly stopped seeing them and wouldn't return their calls. The dark-haired girl shouldn't have been surprised; everyone seemed to be distancing themselves from her lately, at least everyone she cared about.

Last night, Emily had gone to the bathroom and disappeared for several hours. The class leader had been working with Collet, trying to help the beagle-girl who was a hair's breadth from being kicked out of the cadet program. After today's drills, the pair headed out for extra training too. Beatrix realized that their classmate needed the help, but still felt excluded. And then there was the pactio.

When they were five, Beatrix had promised Emily that she would become ojou-sama's partner. Over the years she had reaffirmed her vow, but in the end, her dearest friend in the world had made a pactio with the man she liked. Understanding the necessity of it didn't make it any less painful; it only made her guilty about feeling hurt.

At the end of the row, Beatrix turned and passed by a rack of magazines. Out of the corner of the girl's eye, she caught the image of a man whose hair splayed out in spikes. Jacobius Rakan's picture grinned at her from the bottom row. Bending over, her fingers grasped the new edition of Gladiator's Quarterly by the corner. As she began to pick it up, her name was unexpectedly called. "Beatrix?"

Standing up, she turned to find Hiro, seated in a wheelchair and being pushed by an armored Valkyrie no less, smiling at her. "Oh … um … Kuro," she stammered, trying to keep his names straight. "How have you been?"

"Just been chillin'," he answered. "And you?"

"The end of the term is coming up and everyone's busy preparing for exams," she replied. Had she dared, Beatrix would have climbed into Hiro's lap and thrown her arms around him, but an armed guard did much to enforce restraint. Doubly since the cadet recognized Hiro's guard as a member of the Brigade's ceremonial team and would likely to be one of her future examiners.

"Why are you in the gift shop?" he asked.

"I wanted to pick you up a little something. Here," she said while thrusting the magazine out. Realizing her mistake, Beatrix hastily swapped it for the animal. "I mean here."

"They only had bears," she apologized as he took the doll from her.

"This is great Beatrix," the young man said as she placed the magazine back on the capstan. "Thank you."

"Do you have some time?" he asked. "I think there's a lounge around the corner."

"I have to report back shortly," she answered. "Would it be okay to stop by tomorrow?"

"I'll be leaving Ariadne tomorrow," Hiro told her.

As her smile faded, he grasped her by the hand. For a moment, Beatrix recalled how it felt to be held by those hands at the dance. They were also the same blood-stained hands that had beaten Arn Magnusson senseless and, by Hiro's own admission, killed many people. Yet they had also saved her life and the lives of thousands. "I do want to see you again Beatrix," he said.

Not giving a damn about whom else was present, the cadet bent over and kissed him. As they broke apart, she whispered back, "You will."

(-)

**Ala Rubra Towers, Ariadne Mundus Magicus**

"Is Miss Sevensheep in?" Professor Akashi asked after the family butler answered his knock.

"Are you expected sir?" the surprised man replied.

"No, but I'm leaving Ariadne tomorrow and won't have another chance to say goodbye," he explained.

After taking his coat, the butler led him to the family room where the larger than life sized portrait of Nagi Springfield hung. Moments later, the tread of feet across the carpet announced Cycilia's arrival. Dark circles highlighted red-rimmed eyes as the reporter clutched at the front of her gown. Her free hand tried to smooth out a tangle in her hair. "I didn't expect you Professor," she said. "I must look a fright."

A denial instantly sprang to mind, but he refused to insult the woman with an insincere and ultimately worthless comment. "I understand it's been a trying time," Akashi replied instead. "I wanted to let you know that I'll be flying out tomorrow morning."

"I appreciate you taking the time to tell me," Cycilia said as a sleeve wiped a bit of moisture from her cheek.

She seemed so fragile, the professor thought. Like a porcelain doll teetering on the edge of a shelf. He was reminded of how hard a Yuna tried not to bawl during her mother's funeral. Akashi wanted to reach out to the woman and offer comfort, but feared to step beyond that invisible line of politeness society laid down. Without warning, the reporter shuddered and seemed on the verge of collapse.

The professor wasn't conscious of the shundo that placed him next to Cycilia, but was aware of arms encircling her as the woman fell against his chest, her body racked by great, heaving sobs. "It's my fault," he heard her confess over and over again.

Several tears and cups of tea later, the couple sat on the couch. "Do you want to tell me?" he asked.

Hands trembled as they placed the delicate cup down. "I'm not sure where to start," the woman answered.

"I guess it began when Emily's father left me," she said. "I was pregnant but too proud to tell him. I wanted to blot him out of my life, so I had affairs with several, male admirers."

"And Magnusson?"

"Arn was one of them," Cycilia shamefully admitted. "When I couldn't hide my condition any longer, Arn confronted me and demanded to know who the father was. I threw him out of my house and told him I never wanted to see his face again."

Akashi tried to reserve judgment and imagine what it must have been like for an 18 year old to be in that position: scared, confused and alone. Several of his female students had encountered similar situations over the years. Many were not able to handle it any better.

"You must think I'm a horrible person," the reporter sniffled.

"No, I don't think you're horrible," Akashi told her. "What you did was wrong, but all too understandable. What happened to Magnusson afterwards?"

"Arn and I had never been close prior, so we drifted apart," Cycilia answered. "I can't help but feel responsible for the way things turned out. Maybe if I …"

"Don't fall into that trap Cycilia," he warned. "I made that mistake when Rikku died. If only I had done this … she would be alive. 'What ifs' are blind alleyways that lead only to more alleys. You can spend the rest of your life moving through them and getting nowhere."

"I still wish I had apologized to Arn," she said. "Now I don't have the chance."

"Yes you can," the professor replied as he gently grasped her hands. "Do it right here, right now."

A confused, tear-stained face gazed up at him and slowly comprehension dawned in her eyes. "You were right Arn, I did use you."

"I used you and the others to hide behind, so I wouldn't have to admit that I chased away the man I truly loved." The words came hesitantly at first, but grew more assured as Cycilia continued speaking. "The way I treated you and the others was cruel and callous. I wish now that I had been honest with all of you. I don't expect you to forgive me, but … but I am sorry for what I did."

She hugged him tightly and the professor returned it with equal intensity. Minutes ticked past as the pair silently held on to each other. "Yuji," she said in a questioning tone.

"Yes Cycilia."

She nuzzled against his chest and squeezed a little harder before replying, "Thank you."

(-)

**Concilium Magus, Megalo-Mesembria Mundus Magicus**

To most people who visited or worked in the Mage Council's compound of buildings, visions of lofty ceilings arching high above marble floors and pillars comprising the central gallery filled their heads when they thought of the grand edifice housing the offices of councilors, secretaries and directors. Few even knew about the various sub-levels where offices were jammed together, forming a maze that would confound the cleverest rat or minotaur for that matter.

Along these cramped corridors, the council's true power flowed. It was a situation that Doubek found a supreme irony. No matter what the chiefs in their spacious chambers upstairs decided, it rested on the workers down here to accomplish the tasks. Only a handful of councilors ever figured that out. As much as he respected Regina, it took the near toppling of the world's governments to get her to venture into the "bowels of the council".

"Why do you refer to it as the bowels?" the future speaker had asked one of the workers. "Because this is where the shit happens ma'am," the fellow replied with a perfectly straight face.

Doubek was almost afraid they would need to bring Regina an oxygen tank, so hard did she laugh.

Finding the particular office he wanted, Doubek knock and waited a polite moment to give the occupant time to clear away any incriminating evidence before entering. Walking into these offices at several inopportune times in the past had reinforced the practice of patience.

A hearty "Hello," greeted him as Doubek entered. Unlike other places, the welcome was not followed by a gasp when the guest was revealed to be the Council's dour hatchet man. "Hello Jonas," he responded.

An older human whose white hair and scraggly mustache both fell past his shoulders, Jonas leaned back in a rickety chair with shoes propped up on a desk filled with mounds of papers and folders. "How'd you like the tape Mister Valkova?"

The tape had been a personally recorded video of a concert by Damashi on eve of the Ostian Peace Festival's final day. Though the quality wasn't very good, it was enough to see the girls performing on stage. Sure enough, Tamaki was seated behind the drums though occasionally she was blocked from view by the pale-haired bass player who seemed unsure of where to stand. "I found it most enlightening," he answered. "I have another favor to ask Jonas."

"I'd like to talk with the girl again," he explained. "Can you tell me if she's been turned over to the Law Givers yet?"

"No problem," Jonas responded as the man sat up and spun his chair to face a computer consol that had seen its best days long ago. "Let's see … case number 17344812," the man muttered as fingers flew over the antiquated keyboard. This was followed by a "Hmmm …"

Doubek waited, knowing that showing a little consideration often worked better than breathing down a person's neck.

"Council investigators turned her over to city authorities yesterday," Jonas told him, "but not to the Law Givers."

"Then who?"

"She went to the Servus Venalicium," came the answer. "Looks like her contract is going to be sold at auction."

"Isn't that highly irregular?"

"To say the least," his informant answered. "Somebody had to pull a lot of strings to arrange this."

"Any chance of finding out who that was?"

"I can try but I won't guarantee anything," Jonas replied. "A person with this kind of clout probably knows how to hide any tracks."

"Can you find out when the girl's contract will be sold?"

"I've got a few friends at the Market," the man answered. "Let me make a couple of calls."

(-)

**Servus Venalicium, Megalo-Mesembria Mundus Magicus**

"Stop here," Doubek demanded and the coachman slowed the open air carriage in response. Reaching into his pocket, he grabbed a fistful of coins and stuffed them into the driver's hand before rushing into the building. Referred to simply as "the Market", contracts of debt slaves were sold here to the highest bidder. The lobby was bustling as people of various races jostled each other to view the poor souls displayed on viewers throughout the chamber. With hand holding his derby in place, Doubek forced his way through the press to a stairway leading to the Market's second floor offices.

Quickly he found the Aedile's office and barged in without knocking. "What …" the young man started to complain and then hastily stood upon recognizing his visitor. The look of outrage morphed into one of nervousness shading into fear. "What can I do for you sir?"

"I understand you're in charge of today's auction of debt-slave contracts," Doubek answered.

"Yes sir," the man replied, nodding several times as he did so. "I'm in charge."

"I'm interested in purchasing one," he declared.

The Aedile's face brightened in response. "We have several choices today," the man said. "What sort of slave are you looking for?"

"I'm interested in the contract for a dragon-girl," the Harbinger answered. "One missing a horn."

"Oh, her," the official responded. "Are you sure sir? That girl has proved highly uncooperative and her contract price is quite expensive."

"How much is it?"

"It's for 1 million drachma, the largest amount allowed by law," the Aedile answered. "Less six months of service."

"I'll pay it," Doubek said to the other man's surprise. As he reached into his coat, Doubek asked, "Cash or will you take a bill of exchange?"

The glorified clerk was too stunned to answer. "A … a bill of exchange please," the Aedile finally managed to say. "Um, you do realize that the girl's contract could be purchased in auction for considerably less don't you?"

"Or considerably more," he replied in irritation. "Who do I make this out to?"

(-)

Ikoma sat in the chair and took another sip from his drink as bidding continued on the HD screen before him. Safely ensconced in a private booth, the councilor patiently waited for his opportunity. He had to call in several debts to clear legal hurdles and have Tamaki's contract brought immediately to auction. Once the proxy he normally employed purchased the dragon-girl, he would have her sent far away. Images of the girl chained to a dungeon wall flashed through the man's mind, followed by thoughts of taking her cat-eared friend as she was forced to watch. Barely did he suppress a shudder of anticipation.

"When is it the girl's turn Gerhardt?" Ikoma anxiously asked his companion.

An elderly human with more grey than black in his tightly curled hair and beard turned to him. "Relax Councilor," the man answered in a voice with a slight lisp. "They're probably saving her for last since she'll be so difficult to unload. I bet the bidding will start at a 100 or 150 thousand. Maybe even less."

"Why not pay for her contract outright?"

"Do you want to shell out a million drachma for damaged goods?" he was asked. "Some may consider her a novelty, but only a fool would pay so much for a one-horned dragon."

"One wonders what you see in her anyway," the man named Gerhardt commented before finishing his drink with a single gulp.

"Let's just say I've always had fantasies about dragon-girls," he replied with a chuckle.

"I think your libido will be left unfulfilled with this one," his companion remarked. "Neko-girls are considerably more docile."

"I wouldn't wager on that my friend," Ikoma laughed as the auctioneer closed bidding and finalize the sale.

"That concludes today's auction," was suddenly announced.

Ikoma leapt from the chair, spilling ice and unfinished scotch on the floor. "What the hell?"

(-)

Lights flicked on as the apartment's door slammed opened. Doubek strode inside and placed his hat on the stand as his unexpected purchase walked in behind, carrying several bags containing the fruits of a day spent shopping. The prices for women's clothing were outrages enough, but the charge to custom fit around a tail was obscene. 'Didn't think this one through did you?' the old man chided himself. 'Just charged in with guns a blazing.'

"Why don't you put those in the kitchen for now," he told the dragon-girl and then parked on the couch. Slipping off his shoes, Doubek began massaging feet tired by walking through that modern madhouse known as a mall, though after today he'd spell it with a slight difference.

"What should I do now … master?" Tamaki stood in the doorway. Though her face wore a blank expression, he could hear venom drip from the word "master".

"Let's get something straight Miss Tamaki," he replied. "You can call me Mister Valkova or even by my given name of Doubek, but don't ever call me master. Is that clear?"

"Yes Mmmmister Valkova."

"Turn around," he ordered and though the girl stiffened at the command, she did as instructed.

A "tchk" escaped from his mouth as Doubek gazed at the dragon-girl's tail. "I hadn't realized your tail was so big," he said aloud.

Tamaki, her dusky cheeks flushed crimson, spun about. "There's nothing wrong with my tail," she hotly declared.

"Didn't say there was," he testily shot back. "However, I don't think there's enough room on the couch for you to sleep comfortably."

Pupils narrowed into tiny slits regarded him, but the girl seemed to relax a bit at his words. He wondered if any of her previous owners had expressed concern about her comfort before. "Are you hungry?" She nodded in response. "What do you like? I'll call for take-out …"

"No!" Tamaki shouted.

"Please," she said in a softer tone. "My last owners always ordered take-out. I'd rather not eat from a bag."

An inspection of the cupboards revealed the sorry state of his pantry: a few cans of soup, an opened package of rye crackers and jar of sauerkraut. He did manage to find a covered plate of leftover chicken and a tub of soft cheese. Along with the crackers, they made for a scant dinner that Tamaki fell upon as if she hadn't eaten for a week. While polishing off the last few crumbs, she asked, "Why did you buy me?"

"Somebody went through a great deal of trouble to have your contract sold," Doubek answered as his heart beat speed up. "I want to know who that was and why."

"You expect me to tell you?"

"No," he replied. "I expect them to come after you."

"Then I am to be bait?"

"Only with your consent," he answered and then pulled out the collar's control stone. "**Solvo**." The lock sprung open in response to the command although her contract remained in force.

"Leave whenever you like," he told her. "But whoever enslaved you isn't about to let you slip away,"

"I can take care of myself," the girl said as she pulled the collar off and flung it to the floor.

"Maybe," Doubek remarked while trying to remain outwardly calm, though every muscle in his body tensed. "However, by working together we both can get what we want."

This was the moment to make his pitch. Everything rested on if he had judged Tamaki correctly. "Or am I wrong in thinking you want revenge on the one who sold you and the rest of Damashi down the river and took your horn?"

Quietly, the dragon-girl mulled over his suggestion. It was a calculated gamble on Doubek's part as Tamaki could flee to her accomplices from Ostia. Unless, of course, they were the ones who had hung her out to dry.

"I can handle the couch," she finally answered.

(-)

**Whaleport, Megalo-Mesembria**

Crowds. How she hated crowds. Crowds at the department stores. Crowds at the gym. And especially crowds at the whaleport. Everywhere one went, people jammed together, jostling one another and being herded this direction or that. Chiho waited in the ticket counter's line and dreamt about the pine covered mountains of Mahora. Memories of running free through unspoiled woods, leaping chasms and being chased by the occasional bear brought a smile to the shinobi's face. While the Mundus Magicus had abundant wilderness areas, employment opportunities in them were scarce.

In truth, Chiho liked her job, particularly when it enabled her to match wits with a worthy opponent. And Madame Karkolova was turning into a very worthy opponent. Despite the woman's meteoric rise to the Council's Speakership, Regina had left few tracks as evidence of her passage. Just like a ninja. What few clues she had collected, pointed to Oculus, where the replacement gate stones were manufactured. And also where a satyr mathematician had mysteriously disappeared days before he was to address an important, scientific conference.

Naturally the two were completely separate issues, and the second well beyond the scope of her investigation, but the coincidence did give her reason to wonder. 'You have enough to worry about without chasing shadows,' Chiho reminded herself. Yet, she knew, that sometimes shadows concealed the real enemy.

After checking her bags and receiving her boarding pass, Chiho stepped away from the counter and began moving towards another crowd waiting to go through the security screening area when she was nearly run over by a cat-eared girl pulling one of those rolling, carryon bags behind her. The stranger appeared shocked as if the ninja had stepped out of nowhere.

"Sorry,' the neko-girl muttered.

Taking a closer look, Chiho recognized Councilor Mifune's secretary although it was difficult to tell with the big glasses the other girl wore. "My fault," she replied. "I wasn't watching where I was going Karenda-san."

The shocked expression intensified as the neko-girl stared back at her. "Do I know you?"

"I was in the councilor's office on business the other day," Chiho explained. "You were wearing a rather short skirt."

"I apologize for not recognizing you Masuda-san," the girl hurriedly replied. "I don't wish to be rude but I don't want to miss my flight."

"You're not being rude at all," Chiho responded and then recalled a question that had bothered her for the past few days. "You look remarkably like one of the members of the music group Damashi. Are you related by chance?"

"Ah no, but I get that a lot," Miss Karenda answered. Chiho noted the boarding pass for Granicus clenched tightly in the other's hand. "Excuse me … I really must be going."

"Have a nice trip," the shinobi said.

"You too," the neko-girl replied and then melted into the crowd.

(-)

**Teacher's Dormitory, Mahora Japan**

Stepping out of her bedroom into the living area, Evangeline rubbed a hand across the top of her scalp and yawned. Moving into the apartment's miniscule kitchen, she opened the refrigerator and gazed at the multitude of foil packages on the shelf. "B is wild, A is creative and O is just boring," the petite vampire muttered to herself. "Let's go for wild."

Having selecting her flavor, she poked a short straw into the package and took a long slurp of a nectar sweeter than any fruit could be, eliciting a satisfied "ahhh" in response. Evangeline walked out of the kitchen and noted a faint light shinning under her maid's door. Curious, she approached and felt a faint trickle of magic.

Quietly the door opened as Evangeline poked her head inside. The lilim was seated in the center of a magic circle and appeared to be in a trance. '**Lic lac lilac **…' fell softly from the vampire's mouth as the mage cast a spell. A misty cloud formed above the demon and images formed within. Her dainty brow furrowed in anger at the succubus, but that passed like a spring shower as an evil grin spread across her face in its place.

(-)

Free! Lili rejoiced as her spirit floated above the shell she had been imprisoned in. Carefully, the demon checked the seals around her room. The last thing the demon wanted was to alert her midget jailer to what was going on; somehow she doubted the "Queen of Mean" next door would approve. With the speed of thought, the succubus was whisked to her spell's terminus.

On the secluded shore of a mountain lake, surrounded by a sea of pine trees, a swimsuit clad Madoka and the dark-haired teen's paramour petted on a grassy bank. In previous dreams, the lilim had nudged the girl to go a little farther each time, but tonight Lili was in no mood for the restrained approach. Eagerly she merged into the man's form.

Lips trailed down the side of the girl's face to attack the soft flesh of neck as a hand began massaging through the bikini's top. A moan of pleasure escaped from Madoka as she placed her hand over top of his and pressed down harder. The couple froze as voices in conversation drifted through the woods. Glancing down the trail revealed the teen's two friends approaching. The other cheerleaders were likewise skimpily attired. A wicker basket swung back and forth in Sakurako's hand while Misa carried a blanket.

"Hi Madoka! Hi Sensei!" the red-headed girl called out.

'Friends in dreams. Friends in dreams,' Lili thought as the pair sat up. 'What does that mean?'

Knowing that symbols figured prominently in dreams, the demon racked her memories for the basics she had been taught ages ago. 'Friends offer support to the dreamer who may be reluctant to take action," she recalled and then relaxed.

Seated upon the blanket, Sakurako began to set out bottles of soda and containers of apple slices, plums, orange segments and grapes. 'Food represents nourishment and fruit, in particular, is erotic.'

"Madoka," Lili said aloud while picking up a large, purple-skinned grape. "Here."

The succubus placed the fruit between her lips and pressed them to the girl's mouth. Tongues darted back and forth as juice dribbled down their chins.

"That looks like fun," Misa commented with a smirk.

"Ooh, I want to try too," Sakurako added. The red-head scooped up a handful of grapes and crammed them into Lili's mouth. Flesh, skins, juice, and seeds crowded at once, causing the lilim to gag. Madoka pounded on her back as Sakurako opened a bottle of soda and passed it over, saying "Try this."

Quickly she gulped the beverage and fire exploded in the back of her throat from the pungent flavor of horse radish. The fizzy drink spewed from Lili's mouth and a raspy voice asked, "What is that stuff?"

"Wasabi soda," Sakurako answered. "Would you rather have the curry lemonade?"

"Let's go for a swim," the lilim hastily suggested as she helped Madoka to her feet. A boulder jutted out of the water and she led the girl around to the far side. Like a skittish doe, the teen trembled as Lili gently pushed her against the rock. Fingers fondled the hardening knot beneath one of the swimsuit's cups even as the demon's other hand slipped down to caress the inside of a thigh.

"Sensei," the dark-haired girl groaned. "I'm not ready for this."

"Relax," she whispered in response while her lower hand inched up. "I won't hurt you."

Water erupted into the air and Lili spun about as two horrible, alien faces rose from the lake. Rivulets of water ran down their flat, circular faces. An O-shaped mouth hung in the center with no chin below and hardly any trace of a nose above it. Three eyes formed a triangular pattern in the center of each creature's forehead. Impossible large heads rested atop scrawny bodies dressed in frilly … bathing suits?

Heart thumped wildly as a childish voice asked "What do you think of our masks Kugimi?"

"Kugimi?" the thoroughly confused demon asked. "Masks?"

Both of the "aliens" removed their faces, revealing nearly identical looking girls beneath. "Our parents picked these up during their vacation to the South Pacific," one of the twins explained. "Aren't they neat?"

Evening shadows began to fall as Lili glared murderously at the children who stepped back trembling. "Uh, we didn't mean to interrupt or anything," one of them declared. "We'll be going now," the other swiftly added as the pair splashed in retreat.

'Masks stand for hidden intentions and removing them means … absolutely nothing right now!' the frustrated succubus mentally shrieked then whirled on her prey and froze. Fiery orbs, as red as burning coals, stared at her from Madoka's face while a long, pink tongue lolled out of the dark-haired girl's mouth. "Come to me my love," she heard in a voice that sounded like a growl. "Let me kiss you."

Lili vaulted over the girl, onto the rock Madoka had been leaning against, and sped across the shore into the woods. Howls and the crash of heavy bodies through the brush followed in hot pursuit. Wolves chased after the demon, turning the hunter into the hunted. 'Wolves, wolves, what do wolves mean?' the lilim wondered as a reddish furred beast, with slavering mouth open wide, closed upon her. 'It means stop bloody analyzing and haul ass!'

With a sudden burst of fear-born speed, Lili pulled away as teeth chomped onto when she had been. The succubus jumped and twisted, striking a tree trunk with her feet and propelling herself through the air. Bouncing from tree to tree like a pinball against the bumpers, the demon kept above the snapping and snarling creatures. In the distance she heard a river's roar. 'Werewolves can't cross running water, right?'

Making for the sound, Lili ricocheted for what she thought was a gap only to discover a spruce planted directly in her path. Crashing into the tree knocked the air from her lungs. Cart wheeling to the ground, she came to rest an arm's reach from a cliff overlooking the river. Five wolves, teeth bared in the moonlight, slowly advanced; the dark-furred leader's eyes shone a baleful red. 'It's just a dream,' Lili told herself as she rolled over and off the edge.

Thump! She fell hard to the carpeted floor and laid in a daze. Her bedroom. "I'm safe," she whispered in relief and then gazed up at a pair of glowing eyes staring unmercifully at her. "Forgive me mistress," her voice croaked in supplication. Had she one, Lili would have waved a white flag, regardless of how futile a gesture it would have been. The demon trembled in fear as her mistress laughed. The last thing she could clearly recall was reading the words '_Evil is as Evil Does_' off the front of Evangeline's nightgown.

(-)

**A/N: Ah Doubek. You don't know what you let yourself in for. **

**Chapter heading is from Anthony Powel's "Dance to the Music of Time" series.**

**Concilium Magus – Council of Mages**

**Servus Venalicium – Slave Market**

**Solvo – to loosen or remove. Used here to remove a collar without releasing the person from their contract which would have been 'liberatio.'**

**Aedile – a Roman official with a wide array of functions dealing with the public welfare. In this case, the Aedile is ensuring that sales are made according to the law. As a point, Tamaki's debt-slave contract was going to be auctioned off, but Doubek circumvented that by buying it for the full amount due before the auction started.**

**One more chapter and then its break time for yours truly.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Chapter 8 as promised and a rest for your truly. Several ideas in this chapter were suggested by MakuhariFan-01 and are used with his full connivance.**

**Ken Akamatsu owns Negi and its characters. The wise soda jerk was suggested, kind of, by Brightsyde way back in the day. A lot of other stuff belongs to me or other people, but don't worry about it; we're all friends.**

**The following conventions are use: **"word", 'thoughts', _memories,_ and **"spells".**

**Promises to Keep**

… **The things we do in life will always end up touching others** – Kinkel, O'Neill

(-)

**Morocco**

Stripped bare of their seeds, long stalks waved in the breeze as Homura scowled. A dozen insects hopped into the air with each of the girl's steps, causing a shudder of disgust. 'A waste of my time,' the pyromancer told herself, but like her magister mage and fellow ministra, she could only follow orders dictated by others.

'It was all that little brat's fault,' she fumed. Springfield had managed to trick her back at the cemetery, pretending to bind his own magic but keeping some small part in reserve. And then he unleashed that big boobed brut. Still, she could have beaten both had the little princess not shown up. 'Shirabe was supposed to take care of her,' the girl seethed.

How long would it take Master Fate to realize the futility of trusting that blind idiot to get anything done? Surely he could tell what an abysmal failure Shirabe was. If only Homura had been in charge, the disaster at Ostia would never have occurred. One day she swore, her master would understand the depth of her devotion, of her … what?

Growing up as a child in the backstreets and alleys of Phoenicus, Homura had heard others speak of love and knew it for a lie. What they called love was some filthy ritual performed in darkened corridors, usually accompanied by the clink of coins. A more apt description would be animals rutting on the road. No, love was not what she felt for her master; it was something higher, purer than mere physical desire.

In intimate detail, she recalled the day Fate entered her life. Cornered by a gang of toughs, Homura fought like a cornered rat. Calling forth her power with fire like never before, she sent more than a few off to their eternal reward; but there were too many. Convinced that death had finally come, a white-haired boy appeared and she was miraculously spared. He offered the budding pyromancer a choice, squander her talent and remaining years living as she was or learn to harness those powers and become greater than the youngster had dared imagined.

In the years since, Homura had labored hard, wanting nothing more than his approval. Every pat on the back, every scrap of praise was a memory kept safely stored and treasured. Eventually Master Fate would learn how much worthier she was than the others. Until then …

Arms lifted and flames licked along their length before rushing into the dry foliage and setting it ablaze. Snaps and pops filled the air as did the sizzle of hundreds of locust caught in the flames. But more, thousands more, millions more, rose up and darkened the sky with their sheer number. Onward they moved to other fertile fields that would soon be stripped as bare as this one, only to be repeated again.

No longer entrusted with her card, the girl removed a mundane cell phone as flames crackled and smoke billowed about her. For now, she would serve the Cabal, but one day soon she'd break their shackles and restore her true master to his rightful place.

(-)

**Teheran, Iran**

Pocketing his cell phone, the white-haired boy glanced up at the man dressed in an Armani suit and nodded. Monsieur Dumond grinned in response and motioned for him to follow. The Frenchman would normally be accompanied by his ministra, a dark-skinned Filipino named Gabrielle, but the people the industrialist was to meet with would not approve of a woman's presence.

Two soldiers in olive drab colored uniforms, each bearing an automatic rifle and holstered pistol, flanked the conference room's entrance. Wordlessly, one opened a door to admit them. Inside they found a dozen men gathered about the long table. Five wore uniforms from the country's various military services, while the remainder wore the loose fitting robes and head wraps common among the nation's civilian leaders. Fate detected no ki emanating from any of them, meaning that he and his companion were the only mages present.

"Mister President," the Frenchman greeted the man seated at the head of the table. "Gentlemen. I trust you have come to a decision on my group's proposal."

"Mister President, if you will," one of the civilians, the Finance Minister Fate thought, interrupted and waited for the other man to nod in approval. "You propose that we sell our oil to your group at a discount rate and you in turn will sell it to the People's Republic of China."

"That would be the first part of it," Monsieur Dumond answered. "In return China's client, North Korea, will provide you with the enriched uranium needed to develop your nuclear program."

"Through your group's auspices as well," the minister added. "Why do we need a middleman?"

"I would imagine that you don't 'need' us at all," the Frenchman stressed. "However, we already have the necessary contacts with all of the involved governments and can provide the proper camouflage for these transactions."

"And what proof do you have that you can deliver as promised?"

"I would have thought having Sudan elected to the Human Rights Commission was sufficient proof of our capabilities," Dumond answered.

"We do not need these Westerner's assistance," the uniformed man closest to the head of the table declared. "Too many times they have come to us with promises, but always their promises are as empty as their grasping hands."

"I assure you General," the Frenchman responded in a light-hearted tone, "our promises are not empty."

"Prove it!" the man demanded as his fist slammed down on the table.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing," the mage replied.

Fate concentrated on the general who began to make choking noises as invisible hands clenched about the man's throat. Unable to breathe, the officer stood and tore frantically at his neck before falling to the floor.

"That will be enough Monsieur," the president calmly ordered. "You have made your point."

At a glance from the industrialist, Fate released his grip. "Then do we have an agreement?" Dumond asked while the general, gasping for breath, slowly rose from the floor.

The rest of the conversation persisted of boring schedules and shipments that Fate tuned out. He hated being no more than a dog on a short leash; however, the tables would eventually turn on those who currently lorded their power over him; although a soulless construct, he would relish his revenge. However, options were limited as his ministra were just as constrained as he was. If Shiori could somehow be returned, that would give him an agent outside of the Cabal's control. But the probability of being able to affect the girl's release was negligible. Perhaps the time was right to take on a new ministra?

Like the Mundus Magicus, this world too held any number of children desperate to escape from lives of misery. Unlike the Magic World, the vast majority here wouldn't contain the least bit of talent; it would take years of effort to develop a moderately useful mage that way. No, he needed one with confirmed ability, yet those he knew best were in the enemy camp.

Memories of a timid girl, her skin as pallid as her hair from nervousness, confronted him. Izumi Ako was one of Springfield's former students. After being separated at the gateport, luck had sent the girl his way as a replacement for an otherwise occupied Shiori. Blessed with an ability to use magic as a catalyst, the teen had worked in seamlessly with the others. So well in fact, that his carefully laid plans were nearly derailed when she went missing. If Koyomi was correct, the girl was also a natural empath; perfectly suited for what he needed. 'But how to turn her allegiance from Springfield?' That was the crux of the dilemma.

(-)

**Potala Palace, Lhasa Tibet**

A procession of white robed visitors streamed through the gate and up steep stairs leading to the Potala Palace, once home of the Dali Lama. White walls, crowned by red thrust high above the valley Lhasa sat in. Thousands of pilgrims visited the palace daily, but this special group was going into a place very few of pilgrims ever set foot in.

Legends tell of a sacred cave within at heart of the Marpo Ri, or Red Hill, where the Bodhisattva Chenresi once dwelt. So impressed was Tibet's first emperor by the tale that he built his palace on the hill so he could meditate there at his convenience. Whether the Bodhisattva called the cave home may have been open to debate, its existence was not. For one of twelve gate ways connecting the Mundus Vetus to the Mundus Magicus rested deep inside the hill.

Even being mages was not complete protection as lungs labored climbing up the hillside in Tibet's thin air. Eishun's cheeks puffed out as the swordsman rested a moment with hands on knees. "Not winded already?" Nagi, still disguised as the shinmei-ryu's apprentice, gloated. Having spent much of the past few years in the mountainous regions around Tengboche, he was well acclimated to the elevation.

"Show more respect," Eishun wheezed, "to your elders."

"Don't hide behind age," Nagi replied. "Jack is older than you and he could probably outrace either of us to the top."

"Especially if there was money riding on the outcome," the other man noted.

Members of the People's Armed Police Force, resplendent in military style uniforms of dark green, stood guard at strategic points along the ascent. Though the armed men closely scrutinized the crowd, they said not a word as the special pilgrims continued upward. Entering the grounds of the White Palace, the group was directed to the Saint's Chapel and the Dharma Cave beneath.

The companions stopped at the checkpoint beyond which only travelers were permitted and before the friends could bid each other farewell, another group entered the departure gate. Nagi was surprised to see the girl Sangdong escorted by a Tibetan monk and a Chinese Mandarin as well as her bellhop friend.

"I was hoping we could talk to you Konoe-san," the monk said. "For her safety, we are sending Sangdong-san to the other side."

"She has been accepted by the Kalapa Monastery, but will have to arrange for her own transportation" the man explained. "Could we impose upon your servant to accompany her there?"

Finding Anna was Nagi's prime consideration in going back to the Mundus Magicus. The gate to Shangri La just happened to be the one most conveniently timed for him. Yet in the aftermath of the Great War, when the Magic World seemed intent upon unraveling itself despite surviving destruction at the hands of Kosmos Entelechia, the Thousand Master had realized that the many small deeds that Ala Rubra performed meant as much or more to the people involved than saving the world had. In an almost perverse way, they could relate to healing an injured friend, delivering food to a starving village or even rebuilding a town devastated by civil war, whereas fighting the Life Giver was too distant from their daily lives.

If Regina Karkolova was involved with his missing wife, he reasoned, she wasn't likely to be going anywhere very soon and it should take only a day or two to take the girl to such a well known monastery.

"Konoe-san," Nagi said. "I would be most honored to assist Sangdong-san."

(-)

Watching Takeshi and Sangdong animatedly chat with one another as they disappeared down the ramp, Eishun sadly shook his head. He doubted that Nagi every truly understood his affect on those of the opposite sex, blaming the more exuberant behavior of female fans on his fame. Certainly this was true for some, but it never seemed to occur to him that many were charmed by Nagi himself. Perhaps it was for the best, considering the path the mage could have cut if he tried. Unfortunately, Negi appeared to be following in his father's footsteps in that regard too.

Silk robes rustled as Chen Chi Lui, leader of the Beijing Magic Association, approached. "I see your apprentice was in the group to transfer this morning," the elderly mage remarked.

"Luck was with him," the swordsman replied.

"Have you considered what we spoke about last night?" the other man asked

"I have thought about it," Eishun answered, "however, I am not yet convinced that such a danger exists."

"Perhaps our fears are unfounded Konoe-san," the white-bearded mage admitted. "But my bones say they are not. Such a conflict may not happen in my lifetime or yours, but I believe it will happen within your daughter's."

"I pray you are wrong," the swordsman said.

"As do we all," the elder mage responded.

The pair quietly waited until robed figures began making their way up from the transfer chamber. A man wearing the robes of a security officer pushed his way past the travelers "Konoe-san!" the man called out. "Konoe-san!"

Surprised, Eishun identified himself to the panting agent. "There is a disturbance in the receiving area," the stranger explained. "A visitor is reluctant to surrender his weapon and Master Sampten wondered if you could help allay his suspicions."

Following his guide into the cavern's deeper recesses, the shinmei-ryu heard shouting. "Sir, everyone is expected to have their items inspected. That includes weapons."

"I tell you I will not," a young man's voice yelled defiantly. "My blade is in service to Her Imperial Majesty and only she has the right to demand its surrender."

A woman dressed in an inspector's uniform, with a half-circle of robed security agents at her back, faced off with a blonde-haired boy about Konoka's age. The teen held a long blade two-handed style. Eishun could see that the sword, with its slight curve and single edge, was a weapon that could easily slice through his opponents. Its point never wavered though the warrior's eyes darted among the potential targets.

"Master Konoe," Sampten said. "Perhaps you can explain the situation to this young man?"

Eishun stepped forward with his hands help open and in plain sight. "Who am I addressing?"

"I am Marcato Rallentando, Marquis of the Chalcean Marches, Hereditary Warder of Hellas, Shield of the South …"

"Forgive me for not recognizing a Peer of the Empire, Lord Rallentando," the swordsman said, neatly cutting the longwinded introduction off. "I believe that the young lady did not make her intent clear."

"Since magic is kept secret in this world, the inspector needs but to check if your blade is magic and if so, instruct you on how to conceal it," Eishun explained. He turned to the uniformed woman next. "Do you actually need the Lord to hand over his sword?"

"No," the inspector answered. "If he'll hold it out for me, I can scan it."

To everyone's relief, Marcato complied and was soon exiting the caverns into the Palace, with weapon hidden beneath his robes. "And what would your name be?" the Marquis asked. "For I can tell you aren't a servant."

"My name is Konoe," he answered. "Konoe Eishun."

"Konoe," the boy excitedly repeated. "The master swordsman of the Ala Rubra?"

"Yes," he warily replied.

"I am on my way to Mahora," Marcato explained. "Not being familiar with this world, I was afraid of getting lost. But now I've found the perfect guide."

Eishun quickly smothered his irritation at the nobleman's assumption of assistance. It wasn't that the shinmei-ryu minded, but he was used to being asked. "If you are at liberty to say, might I know why you are going to Mahora?"

"I am on a mission for the Empress," the teen confided. "I have a summons for the Princess Teotanasia to present herself to the Imperial Court."

'Princess Teotanasia?' he thought in confusion. 'Asuna!'

"You are indeed fortunate Lord Rallentando," Eishun replied, deciding that playing tour guide might be his best option. "How were you planning on getting to Mahora from Tibet?"

"Well, as I understand it, this world has something like airships," the boy answered. "I thought to commandeer one in the Empress' name and have it transport me directly there."

"That could cause a problem since the Empress is not widely known in the Mundus Vetus," he said and judging by Marcato's shocked expression, that idea had not occurred to the teen.

Faced with a potential, inter-dimensional incident primed to explode at any second, Eishun chose the path of courage. "Why don't you let me take care of the arrangements Lord Rallentando?" he suggested while the swordsman asked himself, 'How I am going to warn Asuna and the others about their impending guest?'

(-)

**Shangri La, Mundus Magicus**

"Takeshi-san!"

Nagi turned to find Sangdong excitedly waving him over to where she stood.

"What is it?" he cried out while approaching.

"I found somebody who can guide us to the Kalapa Monastery," the girl replied.

After their arrival in Shangri-La, Nagi was surprised to discover that while everyone knew of the monastery, all anyone could answer when asked how to get there was point to the surrounding mountains. After nearly an hour of questioning people around the gateport, he was no closer to completing this little quest.

"So who did …" he started to ask when eyes fell upon a strange man dressed in voluminous robes striped with a riotous profusion of colors. The figure stood no more than 1.2 meters tall as Nagi judged him and locks of brown hair fell down the short man's back and coupled with a beard that framed the person's cheeks and jaw, gave the impression of a lion's mane. A small drum rested in the crook of one arm while the dwarf held a felt covered mallet in his free hand.

_While Nagi was waiting on his companion to clear through immigration, the little man walked through the lobby, drumming and chanting loudly at the passersby eager to be about their business. To his distress, the stranger's eyes fastened on the seeming boy as thick lips stretched into an ear to ear grin._

'_Maybe if I just ignore him,' Nagi thought as he turned away, but the short man parked in front of him. Drumming and chanting stopped as Nagi gazed down at the man. "Welcome young master," the dwarf said while bowing before him. "Welcome to Shangri-La."_

"_Thank you."_

"_Young master is on a journey," the dwarf said. "You have far to go before reaching its end."_

"_I can help you," the strange little man continued as he dug into a sleeve and pulled forth a pendent on a chain. "This amulet is guaranteed to protect from all venomous creatures whether they bite, sting or claw."_

"_This was fashioned by a powerful Mahatma young master," the drummer assured. "And it costs but a mere pittance."_

"_No thank you," Nagi replied as he inwardly groaned._

"_Ah, I can see you have great discernment and are interested in only the truly exceptional," the persistent fellow continued in a cajoling tone and then produced a white pill next. "This miracle-working tablet will cure any and all diseases and restore lost vitality. It can be yours for the paltry sum of 300 drachma."_

"_I'm not interested," he politely declined though the merchant was beginning to wear at his patience._

"_You doubt its potency?" the dwarf asked, sounding offended. "I can assure you that this pill was made from the excrement of a dozen saintly ones."_

"_Look here!" Nagi snapped. "I'm on my way to the Kalapa Monastery, so if you don't mind …"_

"_Aiyee!" the dwarf shrieked. "No the young master must not go there! The way to the monastery is long and treacherous. Only the most powerful and exalted dare the journey. The path is guarded by poisonous serpents, fearsome dragons and ogres taller than trees, not to mention ice storms that spring up on the unwary and can strip the flesh from their bones. Countless skeletons litter the way to Kalapa! You shall surely perish!"_

_The look of fear on the other's face was quickly replaced by one of avarice. "But I can guide you safely there and for a modest fee."_

"Ah the young master neglected to say he had such a beautiful and charming young lady for a companion," the man said. "Watching her walk into view was like seeing Lakshmi rise from an ocean of milk."

"Um, Sangdong-san …"

"Do not worry young master," the dwarf merchant interrupted, "the young mistress has taken care of payment. Vamana will see you both safely to Kalapa."

(-)

**Whaleport, Ariadne Mundus Magicus**

"Boarding for Fortes Airways, Flight 1219 to Granicus will begin in 15 minutes," blared over the whaleport's PA system.

'About bloody time,' Hiro thought as finished with his tea and tossed the cup into a nearly overflowing waste bin. After being stuck in the terminal for half the day due to an anonymous threat, the assassin was in no mood for further delay.

"Mister Oishi!"

Hiro turned to see Collet rushing towards him. A few meters away, the girl must have encountered a slick spot for her feet shot out in different directions. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Arms spun around like pinwheels as the cadet fought for balance, giving him time to reach out and grab her by the waist.

"Oh Mister Oishi," the beagle-girl wheezed. "Come quick. She's fainted."

"Who's fainted," he asked in confusion.

"Beatrix," Collet answered. "We were running to get here before your flight left and she fainted."

"Where is she now?"

"Emily's with her in the employee's lounge."

They ran back down the lobby to a closed door and an out of breath Collet motioned for him to enter. As the door shut behind, Hiro didn't see the girl hang a 'closed for cleaning' sign on the handle.

(-)

"_I do want to see you again Beatrix."_

_Like the feeling of his lips pressed against hers, Hiro's words lingered long after Beatrix had left the hospital. On the flight back to the school, she admitted to letting her fears get the best of her. The young man was still in enough danger to require the Brigade to guard him, so of course he couldn't have visitors. And if she had been wrong about that, the girl conceded she may also be wrong about Emily purposefully excluding her. When her two classmates came in from their extended training session, it was to find towels, blankets and hot chocolate waiting for them._

_Bathed, bundled and sipping the steaming drinks in the dormitory's common room, Emily and Collet both thanked her profusely. "There's no need to," Beatrix dismissively replied. "In a way, this is my apology to you."_

"_Apology?" Emily asked. "Whatever for?"_

"_With you helping Collet, I was beginning to feel left out," she confessed. "I thought maybe I had done something to offend you."_

"_Oh Beatrix, I would never …"_

"_I know," she cut her friend off. "You're doing everything you can to help Collet and I was jealous."_

"_I'm sorry," Collet added. "I've been so busy trying to stay in the program … I never thought …"_

"_You don't have to apologize either," she responded. "You're my squad mate too, and I should be out helping you just as much as ojou-sama."_

"_And I've been taking you for granted," Emily said, "assuming you'll be there because you always have been; even when I made that pactio."_

"_I understand about that too."_

"_It still didn't give me the right," her friend countered. "I should tear that card up."_

"_It's too bad you can't transfer a card like with an artifact," Collet muttered and then gazed up at the "What?" shouted in unison._

_The magnitude of the hapless girl's remark sank in as the squad leader's eyes bore down on her. "What's this about transferring artifacts?"_

"_Um, you recall that broom Yue Ayase created?" Collet asked and waited for Emily's nod. "Well that meant she didn't need the broom that came with her pactio so, uh …"_

_Collet began nervously chewing on her finger under the sheep-eared girl's merciless stare. "… when I made my contract with Professor Springfield, he transferred it to me."_

"_You have an artifact card in addition to the pactio?" Beatrix asked in astonishment._

_Emily looked thoughtful for a moment and then nodded to herself. "Let's get dressed," the blonde girl said. "The Ermine Society has a pactio merchant not ten minutes away by broom."_

"_Would the office be open this time of night ojou-sama?"_

"_I've never known of an ermine that wouldn't be accommodating for the right price."_

The lounge door swung open, interrupting Beatrix' reminiscing on the previous evening, and Hiro stepped in. "Are you alright Beatrix?" he asked while scanning her from head to foot. "Collet said you fainted."

Before she could answer, a brown-furred stoat hopped on her shoulder. "Is this the one?" he asked and without waiting for a reply, said "Let's get the show started ladies."

"What's going on?" Hiro asked in confusion. "And why am I talking to a rat?"

"Rat!" the creature indignantly cried. "Are you talking to me? Did you just call me a rat?"

"This is Mister Sylver," Beatrix interjected as Emily slapped hand to forehead.

"That's John Sylver," the stoat added. "Long John to the ladies if you catch my drift."

"And why is this refugee from an animated movie here?" Hiro demanded.

"Mister Sylver is a pactio agent," Emily answered crossly. "He's here to fix my screw up."

"You have a pactio with this here little lady," Sylver said, indicating Emily, "and you want it with the dark-haired one, right?"

Beatrix glanced down at the pint-sized businessman. "We haven't discussed all of the details yet."

"Let me see if I have this straight," Hiro said. "Looong John over there is going to do some mumbo jumbo and my pactio with Emily will be with you instead?"

Gazing at the tops of her shoes, she answered, "Well, if you want to that is."

Feet plodded over until another pair of shoes stopped in front of hers. Fingers grasped her chin and lifted up. Warm, brown eyes stared into Beatrix face. "Will this interfere with you becoming a Valkyrie?" he asked.

"Naw," the pactio agent replied. "This is just a provisional …"

"I wasn't talking to you peg-legged Pete," Hiro said.

"No," Beatrix answered. "A provisional pactio won't disqualify me from being a Valkyrie."

"Knowing what you do about me, are you sure you want to do this?"

He had killed for money. He had saved for no other reason than he was there. That was the conflict she had wrestled with since being kidnapped by Magnusson. Back in the hospital, Hiro had laid out his life, unvarnished and without apology, before her. He was a brutal man, yet the world they lived in could be a brutal place. In the end, Beatrix had to trust to her instincts and they said that this was a man who cared about her. "Yes," she said without hesitation.

"What do we have to do?" the assassin asked.

Sylver jumped to the floor and quickly traced a magic circle. "The original partners needs to enter the circle and kiss," the agent explained, drawing a surprised "what?" from Emily. "Ah come on sweetie, you did it before. What's one more smooch?"

The glare the sheep-eared girl returned did not bode well for the stoat's continued well-being, but Emily entered the circle and kissed the young man. "Okay you two, that will do," the stoat said as he directed Hiro and Beatrix to change places. "Now the two minister magi need to transfer the contract between them."

Both cadets glanced at each other and then at Sylver. "What? Do I got to draw you two a diagram?" the tiny merchant asked. "It's only a kiss ladies."

"Would you like me to leave?" Hiro offered.

"You can't step too far away or it breaks the connection," Sylver explained.

"Um, Beatrix, uh we were going to make our own pactio one day," Emily remarked.

"Right," she quickly agreed even as her stomach started to do barrel rolls. "Like he said, it's only a kiss."

"Yeah, only a kiss," Emily repeated. Neither girl moved as they continued to silently stare at one another.

"Fortes Airways Flight 1219 for Granicus is now boarding at gate 3," the announcement came. "Passengers on A deck may proceed to the concourse."

Knowing Hiro had to leave soon, Beatrix closed the distance with Emily and pressed her lips against the other girl's. Lights flashed and a sudden wind swirled about the pair, rustling hair and lifting skirts with its force. She would have tugged her hemline down except that Emily's fingers were twined about her own. 'You are my friend,' the dark-haired girl thought. 'Now and forever.' Just as her lungs began to burn, it was over and she stood panting in the circle.

"That's some serious, magical energy going on," Sylver gleefully chortled. "You ready to take it all back young fella?"

Grinning, Hiro stepped next to her. "After that," the young man whispered, "I'm not so sure I can measure up."

Beatrix' own grin broke out as hands clasped behind his neck. "Just remember," the girl whispered back as she drew him closer, "there's no prize for finishing second."

(-)

Hiro raced to the boarding gate where his glowering associate waited. Quickly he handed his pass to the agent and the men hurriedly walked across the tarmac, reaching the final shuttle just before its doors closed.

"What kept you?" the professor asked with a trace of irritation in his voice. "I thought you just went to get a drink."

"I did, but I met some friends who came to see me off," the young man answered as his hand brushed against the outlines of a card in his pocket. Even though Beatrix was back in the terminal, he sensed the girl's presence as if she stood next to him. It was an eerie feeling though oddly comforting at the same time.

"That fan club of yours I suppose," Akashi remarked.

'Well, just one fan,' Hiro thought in response and then smiled at the memory of their last kiss.

_Neither had been in a hurry for it to end and they parted only when an annoyed Emily reminded him, "Don't you have a flight to catch?"_

_Collet, who had quietly entered the lounge during the ceremony, was staring at her watch. "What's the record for the longest kiss?" the beagle-girl asked, drawing the class rep's wrathful gaze._

"_It's not a record," the stout answered as veins began to push out of the sheep-eared cadet's forehead, "but I do have a special this week on permanent pactios."_

_The next thing the assassin knew, Emily had whisked him back into the lobby and gave a 'friendly' shove towards the gate. "You're going to be late," the girl said before slamming the door shut._

"I trust there won't be any similar distractions in Granicus?" the professor asked.

"It's not like I go out of my way to find them," Hiro protested.

"No, but you might do a little more to discourage them," the older agent pointed out.

"You're absolutely right sensei," the young man agreed as he finally indentified the fragrance clinging to Akashi. "By the way, is that a new aftershave you're wearing?"

The professor said not a word, but the shade of red the man's face turned spoke volumes.

(-)

**Library Island, Mahora Japan**

"I want to thank you for seeing us on such short notice Imma-san," Negi said.

"Fu, fu, fu, It's no trouble at all," the robed man replied.

Ako gazed around in amazement at the mage's home. 'That such a place could exist in our world,' the girl thought. 'And we never had a clue.'

When Professor Springfield asked her to accompany him to meet with an old friend of his father's, she had never dreamed of the veritable wonderland beneath Mahora's Great Library.

"Besides, it's always a pleasure to meet your charming partners dear boy," Albireo commented. "How's your tea Izumi-san?"

She looked immediately at the amused man seated before her and then gazed at the untouched cup on her lap. "I'm sorry," the pale-haired girl apologized. "I've never seen any place like this; at least not in Japan."

Chisame, open computer on her lap, voiced a "harrumph" but otherwise kept silent.

"I will admit that this is one of a kind, but comfortable none the less," their host replied and then took another sip.

"During the war, Ala Rubra discovered a Total World hideout in the Noctis Labyrinthus," Negi said. "Could you tell us where it was?"

Albireo set his cup aside. "Perhaps," the man replied. "But that was many years ago and the landscape may have changed."

"Don't geologic changes occur over a great many years?" Ako asked, causing their host to smile.

"Normally yes," the mage answered. "But you've never seen what Jack or Nagi could do when the mood struck them."

"Well, if you can't remember," Chisame remarked, "then perhaps we shouldn't take anymore of your time."

"It's not a matter of remembering," Albireo replied. "The Labyrinthus is a rather large region."

"Over 2000 kilometers long and as much as 4 kilometers deep," the web idol replied after a few taps of her keyboard. "According to the NASA website that is."

"I suppose you have access to the Maho-net with that marvelous contraption of yours?" the mage asked only to have the hacker return a knowing grin. "Then bring up the area and we'll take a look."

Gathering behind Chisame, the three watched as a barren wasteland appeared on the screen. Moving a finger over the touch pad changed the scene to a long, jagged chasm. "This is where the Noctis Labyrinthus splits off from the western end of the Valley Marineris," the class computer expert told them.

Previously, Ako had considered her classmate as a bit of a nerd, interested only in computers. She had been surprised when the girl had attended a class picnic dressed in a bunny girl costume. Even more astounding was how easily Chisame had adapted to the Magic World while she had floundered from start to finish. 'Nothing rattles Chisame-san,' she thought enviously. Maybe not, she reconsidered while recalling the hacker's response to the wardrobe malfunction at said picnic. 'Still, I bet she doesn't worry about being a supporting character.'

They had nearly gone to the furthest edge when Imma-san said, "Stop."

"Zoom in on that spot," the man said as he pointed to a section of the canyon.

The image blurred and then resolved into a series of structures on the north rim. "Those buildings are new," Albireo remarked, "but that's the spot."

"Can you zoom in any closer?" Negi asked.

"This is as far as I can go," the hacker announced as her computer revealed a large building surrounded by several, smaller outbuildings.

"Looks almost like a factory," Ako observed.

"Let me see …" Chisame muttered while opening a second tab.

"You can Goggle the Magic World?" she asked in disbelief.

"Underestimate the power of internet commerce at your own peril," the web idol answered with a smirk. "Ah ha. That location is a complex owned by an outfit called Century Corp."

Another search revealed that Century Corp was a manufacturer of air ship engines and components. "Seems they had a bit of trouble after the war," Albireo commented while indicating a news story on the search page. "They were investigated for ties to Kosmos Entelechia and eventually cleared of any wrongdoing by both the Empire and Alliance."

"What's this Dynamis Project?" Negi asked as the group perused the company web page.

"A project to discover and harness new energy sources," Chisame read aloud. "Not much help there."

Ako noticed a puzzled expression on the robed man's face. "Is something wrong Imma-san?"

"No, I suppose not," he answered. "I just thought Dynamis sounded familiar."

"Now a question for you," Albireo asked in return. "Why this interest with the past?"

Between them, Negi and Ako related their conversation with Shirabe and the decision to rescue Shiori.

"You don't approve," the boy noted.

"It's not for me to approve or disapprove," the older mage told them. "But to aid your enemy does seem a bit … irresponsible."

"Wouldn't a Magister Mage help anyone who needed it?" Ako asked in a mildly irritated tone.

"Would a Magister Mage put others in danger by doing so," the man countered.

"Imma-san, Izumi-san," Negi exclaimed and waited for them to quiet. "I have every intention of rescuing Shiori-san if possible; however, that doesn't mean we'll just let her go."

A stricken expression on her face, Ako stared in open-mouthed shock.

"Listen to me Izumi-san," Negi tried to explain. "Shiori-san's partner almost destroyed the Mundus Magicus. And didn't Shirabe-san say they were no longer their own masters?"

The girl could only nod in answer.

"Do you want Shiori turned over to those who would enslave her?"

"No," she finally admitted. "I … I wouldn't want that."

(-)

**Ice Cream Parlor, Mahora Japan**

With one hand propping her head up, Natsumi absent-mindedly ran a spoon around the inside of a glass bowl. "You done with that mss?" the white jacketed attendant asked. Sighing, she let the spoon clatter into the cup and then nodded. As the man picked the dirty glass up, he asked, "Rough day today?"

"Yep," the freckled girl sighed again. "I'll have another please."

An eyebrow raised as the surprised fellow looked at her. "Are you sure about that?"

"I'm sure," Natsumi glumly replied. "And make it a double scoop this time."

Minutes later, a bowl with two scoops of chocolate decadence over top of a brownie and covered with hot fudge sauce was set in front of her. "That was quick," she remarked.

"It's not too busy tonight," the man replied as he pulled out a chair and sat down. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's kind of a long story," Natsumi answered and then glanced more closely at the man, noticing the gray bandana tied about his head. "Have we met before?"

"I've been around a while," he replied. "So what happened?"

"Well it's that time of the month …" the girl began, completely missing the startled expression on her listener's face, "when each class decides what to do for the school festival."

(-)

The morning had started normally as Takane Goodman called for the class to stand as their teacher arrived. When sensei entered the room, they bowed.

"Good morning class!"

"Good morning Mister Markham!"

"Be seated," the teacher's aide instructed and class 1A settled into their chairs.

Natsumi glanced around at her classmates faces. With a couple of changes, the girls she looked at now were the ones who started with the class 1A of three years ago. Professor Springfield's friend Anya sat at Chao's old desk. While Aisaka-san had been with them all along, the spirit's new, robotic body filled the first seat, next to Asakura-san. The back row remained empty as McDowell-san … as McDowell-san had been the first casualty in a war of wizards that had swept all of them up. Would any more seats be empty this time next year, the aspiring thespian wondered and then shivered as a sudden chill ran up her spine.

Markham-sensei stood in front of the board. "As we all know," their homeroom teacher said, "the summer festival begins in a little more than 4 weeks."

A throat cleared and a sheet of paper rustled, but the room was otherwise silent save for the man's voice. "I understand that it is traditional for each homeroom to run a booth. So we need to agree on what type of booth class 1A will do."

"Let's do another haunted house," was quickly suggested and seconded with "Yeah that was a lot of fun."

"That was too much work," another objected. "Why not do a café this time."

"Everybody does a café."

"How about we do a haunted café staffed by zombies."

"Let's do something with cute animals."

"I've got it! We can do a haunted, cute animal café. It's full of adorable dogs and cats … and they're all dead."

"What about a fortune telling booth?"

"Can we do a World War II café? Everyone can dress up in uniforms."

"Maids."

"Cat-girls."

"A tea room."

"A cat-girl tea room."

"Group date café."

"And what pray tell is a Group Date Café?" their teacher asked, not understanding the danger.

"It's …" Haruna started to explain when both Chisame and Yue slapped their hands over the girl's mouth.

"I think we can skip that one," Goodman-san muttered.

"Agreed," sensei responded.

"Markham-sensei, why don't we do a class play?"

The room fell silent as everyone turned to the one who made the suggestion. Natsumi also stared at her smiling roommate.

"What's this about a play Miss Naba?" their teacher asked.

"Every class does a café," Chizuru answered. "And while the haunted house was fun to do, it took a lot of time to set up and run. I think a play would be something different and let us all have more time to enjoy this year's festival."

Several of her classmate's faces took on thoughtful expressions at that. The class rep in particular seemed to consider that point long and hard.

"But what play would we do?"

"Well Natsumi had a suggestion for her drama club."

All eyes focused on the freckled-faced teen. "Um, I ran across an old Russian play called 'The Enchantress'," she told them. "It has a pair of young lovers, like 'Romeo and Juliet', along with magic, poisoned apples and even has some musical numbers."

To her surprise, when sensei asked for a show of hands in favor of a play, most of the class voted for it. However, the small triumph quickly turned sour.

"So who's going to head this up?" Mister Markham had asked.

"Since Ayaka-san is already busy with planning the final day's event," Chizuru answered, "why not let Natsumi-san?"

Crash! "I'm okay," the red-headed teen said while picking herself up after cart wheeling to the floor. "Um, thanks but …"

She never got to finish her refusal as Ayaka promptly seconded the idea and then Yuna let out with a "Three cheers for Murakami-san!"

(-)

"So you got roped into leading your class play," her sympathetic server replied. "That doesn't sound too bad."

"You don't know my classmates," Natsumi responded as drops slowly rolled down the side of her ice cream. "But that's not the worst of it."

"My roommate met this really cute boy during our class trip," she explained. "And he and I have been emailing each other."

"And your roommate's jealous," he added with a nod.

"If only it was that simple," she groaned. "The problem is that I, ehem, let the boy believe he was writing to her."

The man gave a low whistle in response. "That can't be good."

It wasn't.

(-)

That morning, Kenney has sent an email saying that he had something important to discuss. With some apprehension, Natsumi went directly from class to an internet café and logged on to the Youhoo server.

Haiyuuko says: "Hi."

Kibbles says: "Hi. Chizuru?"

Haiyuuko says: "No it's Natsumi. Chizuru has a meeting. Her club is preparing for the upcoming festival."

Kibbles says: "Is your club still planning to stage 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead'?"

Haiyuuko says: "Yes. I'll be stuck as one of the thespians and only get to die on stage."

Kibbles says: "It's too bad they didn't vote for your idea. It sounds cool."

Haiyuuko says: "Thanks, but not too bad. My class decided to do a play this year, instead of the haunted house, and they chose it."

Kibbles says: "Great. I'll be looking forward to seeing it."

Haiyuuko says: "What?"

Kibbles says: "That's my big news. The studio is doing a huge, world-wide release of the movie. I'll be in Tokyo for the premier that weekend and I thought it would be neat to drop in for your festival. Do you think Chizuru will be surprised?"

Natsumi stared at the blinking cursor, unable to form a coherent reply as images of her roommate, wielding dual spring onions, chased all other thoughts away. Deceiving Kenney had not only been wrong, but proved a sure fire recipe for an epic tragedy that could rival anything Aeschylus wrote. And like Rosencrantz (or was it Guildenstern?), the teen was left wondering at what moment her life had spun out of control and brought her to this point.

(-)

"So here I am, drowning my sorrows in chocolate decadence," she sighed.

"No, you're trying to delay the inevitable," the man with the bandana said. "It's never easy or pleasant to admit when you've screwed up, but your roommate's going to find out sometime. Wouldn't it better to tell her now rather than when this boy shows up?"

"I guess you're right," Natsumi agreed and then gazed at a soggy brownie floating in a chocolate puddle. It was just one of those days.

(-)

**Labyrinth of the Night**

Timeless. Weightless. A point of consciousness floating in a void without the least sense of direction. What was up? What was down? Was she even still alive? And if not was this Heaven? Or was it Hell? Her name was Shiori and the girl clung tenaciously to that fact as if it was her sole possession. And well it may have been.

Memories, fleeting as flashes of lightning and insubstantial as shadows, reminded her that she once had a body and walked about with sunlight on her face. But in the all consuming darkness that had swallowed the elf, arms reached to grasp her head, knees tucked in towards chest and encountered nothing. Lungs swelled in preparation of a scream but she had no mouth; only memories and a name.

(-)

"Shiori!" her enemy had cried out. "Take my hand!"

With her Sprite Management System, mocked up to resemble a battleship, damaged and sinking in a cyber sea, the girl had gazed up at Hasegawa who was desperately trying to reach her through the shattered hull. Though chance had cast them as adversaries, Springfield's minister had proved a worthy foe and earned Shiori's respect. Having won the contest between them for the Mahonet, Chisame had come to rescue her. Paralyzed by indecision, she fell prey to something else that roamed their virtual space. Tentacles wrapped about her legs and pulled the girl under into a pitch black abyss.

(-)

"Shiori you idiot!" a classmate shouted. "Why are you so stupid? Everyone knows Nagi Springfield and the Ala Rubra are the greatest."

Other students encircled the arguing pair; many egged her tormentor on while the few who felt as she did kept silent.

"If Nagi's so great why did Ostia fall from the sky!" she had screamed back in defense.

"He saved the world by beating the Life Giver!"

"Did he?" she demanded. "I heard it was the combined fleets that stopped the Life Giver!"

Somebody pushed her. "Stupid elf!"

She pushed backed. "Stupid human!"

(-)

"You were fighting again weren't you?" her mother asked as the woman pressed a damp wash cloth to her bruised and bloodied face.

Rough fabric brushed against a swollen eye, causing the child to wince. "I couldn't help it Mama," Shiori answered. "They were talking again about what great heroes the Ala Rubra are."

"Darling," the long suffering woman sighed. "They'll just keep hurting you if you continue to argue."

"But it's not true Mama," she cried. "They aren't heroes."

"No dear," Mama replied. "The Ala Rubra are many things, but never heroes for the likes of us."

"They were the hired guns of the Alliance, not even soldiers who fought for country or principles; mere lackeys of those who seek to grind all non-humans into the mud."

(-)

"Why do you grieve?"

Kneeling between her parent's graves, Shiori gazed up at the white-haired boy staring down at her. "These are my Mama and Papa," listless lips declared.

"It is proper to grieve for the departed," his voice, so devoid of any warmth, stated. "Where will you go now?"

"No … nowhere," the elf admitted. Her parents had been unpopular for they had spoken the truth. None wished to take in their daughter, tainted as she was by their beliefs. "I have nowhere to go."

"Did you love your parents?" that cold voice asked.

"Yes."

"I know of a secret place," the stranger said. "A garden where you'll be able to be with your parents again one day."

"Where is this garden?"

"You can't get to it by any normal path," he answered. "The way is long and treacherous; to reach the garden will demand you sacrifice all you have. I can show you how to get there if you like."

Mama had taught to always mistrust strangers, especially humans. "I … I don't think so."

"You are wise to show caution," the boy said. "I will leave you then, but …"

Shiori waited for him to complete the sentence, and when he didn't, she asked "But what?"

"But who will help me spread the truth about the so-called heroes of the Crimson Wing?"

(-)

"Master Fate!" she wailed in the darkness. "Can you not hear me? Where are you Hasegawa? Help me!"

"Mama! Papa!" Thoughts babbled in the darkness. "Somebody please help me! Please …"

(-)

**A/N: The chapter's title and heading are form the song "Promises to Keep" performed by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.**

**Lakshmi is a Hindu goddess and is the embodiment of beauty, grace and charm. She was said to have emerged from an ocean milk that was churned by the combined might of the devas and asuras.**

**While the manga doesn't say anything about transferring pactios, if they are magical contracts between individuals, then the ability to trade magisters may not be an unreasonable assumption.**

**Goggle is not a typo but rather one of many search engines while Youhoo is a messenger service. In resemblance to real world entities is purely …**

"**The Enchantress" is a real play and was turned into an opera by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Likewise, "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" is a play and was written by Tom Stoppard.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: And so gentle reader, after a much needed break I present chapter 9. This is easily my longest chapter and in many ways one of the most difficult for me to write. For those of who may be a bit sensitive about certain topics (not that one Servious), there is a scene closer to the end that is deserving of the M rating. So sit back and enjoy the show.**

**Ken Akamatsu owns Negima and its characters. Jay Lane Cabot and Ma'ii Kamugami were created by Makuhari-Fan01 are used with his permission. A couple of other people's characters make a cameo as well.**

**The following conventions are use: **"words", 'thoughts' and **"spells."**

**A Little Drama**

**All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players **- William Shakespeare

(-)

**Ariadne, Mundus Magicus**

Blue sky merged with sparkling ocean as the smell of salt spray filled his nostrils. Jay Lane Cabot, navigator for the Estimated Prophet, leaned over the railing and gazed into the distance. Memories of a long gone home and family rose up to blot out the view before him.

In the years following the Great War, many smaller conflicts had cropped up, brought about by recently roused feelings of race and nationalism. Shortly after the peace celebrations stopped, the Syrtis sub-continent erupted into a civil war that lasted for more than 10 years. Mercenary armies raged up and down the coast, pillaging and burning as they went. The Teutonic Mage Knights, led by General Bleys Galynd, had been hired to eradicate an insignificant town; a task they tackled with ruthless precision. Unfortunately, said insignificant town had been the one Jay grew up in.

Still more boy than man, Jay Lane Cabot was forced into a battle for survival. With few options available, the teen entered the prize fighting circuits to earn his bread. Hard fought bouts, rivalries and unexpected friendships came the young man's way during his career as a fighter. Though if offered the choice, he would gladly trade those eight years in for his family's return.

Fighting in the pits had left the young man disillusioned, unable to believe that he could accomplish anything meaningful in his life. And then what should happen but a lost girl from the Old World popped literally out of thin air. And no ordinary girl at that, but a pactio partner to what may be this age's greatest mage, Negi Springfield.

No, Haruna Saotome was unlike any popular depiction of a partner Jay had heard of, being able to create a full sized replica of the Estimated Prophet and hold her own with the rowdier crew members with equal facility. All of Springfield's ministra were just as special, numbering as they did a mind reader, a combat witch, a ninja, a healer, a swordswoman and even a princess. And those who weren't one of the boy's partners were far from ordinary too. Together with their magister, aided by himself and many others, they had saved the world.

Jay couldn't take more than a sliver of the credit, yet it proved that even small actors could provide a vital difference. Thinking of small actors brought the image of a shy, pale-haired girl front and center. A pleased smile appeared on the man's face in response. "So who are you thinking about?"

The question caught him by surprise as Jay turned to find the ship's executive office before him. Ma'ii Kamugami was a kitsune, complete with fox-like ears and tail, possessing all of that race's most alluring traits. "Why do I have to be thinking about anyone?" he asked in return.

"Well … you were wearing a rather silly grin on your face," the woman answered. "Like when you're thinking about women."

"I do not wear a silly grin when I'm thinking about woman," he protested. "And for your information, I was thinking about …"

Jay paused for a moment and then gruffly admitted, "Okay, I was thinking about a woman."

"So who's got the famed Casanova of the high seas all hot and bothered?" Ma'ii teased. "Ah, could it be …"

"Let it drop," he warned. "I don't feel like joking right now."

"Sorry," she apologized. "I couldn't help but notice that you've seemed rather … preoccupied this voyage."

"I've just had a lot on my mind," he replied.

"Want to talk about it?" the exec asked with a trace of concern in her tone.

"I was thinking about finally settling down if you must know," Jay told her and then felt defensive when her expression showed surprise. "What? I can't want a landside home or something?"

"It's just unexpected," Ma'ii answered. "Is this in general or is there somebody in particular you want to settle down with?"

"No, no one in particular."

The exec nodded her head and then turned to gaze over the water. "The shakedown cruise will be ending in a few days," the woman commented. "Have you got any plans for what to do after we're back on shore?"

"Why?" the man responded as a roguish grin broke out. "Have you finally succumbed to my charm and decided to run off with me?"

"That's the Jay Lane Cabot I know," Ma'ii chuckled in return. "Captain Adenauer has been offered a long-term contract with a client in Argyre and I'm going to conduct the initial negotiations. Considering the recent upheavals there, I'd like someone along who can back me up if any trouble starts."

"So no romantic dinners by candlelight followed by long strolls along the riverfront?" he asked and then gazed at the frown that sprouted in answer. "Killjoy."

"Be careful what you ask for Mister Cabot," she warned in her official sounding voice. "You just might get it."

(-)

**Mahora, Japan**

"Sigh." Misa sat upon a bench in a secluded alcove beneath intertwined tree limbs and stared outwards as leaves, caught in the breeze, swirled across paving stones. However, the cheerleader's thoughts were elsewhere. She had placed the demon's talisman under her roommate's pillow and feigned sleep until Madoka began moaning. Concerned, she slipped to the floor as the dreaming teen began to writhe between the sheets, nor were the girl's moans ones of pain. Rather they resembled the sounds Misa made from the backseat of her current boyfriend's car. Teeth pressed anxiously down upon a lower lip as her friend pleaded "I'm not ready sensei." When the other began to thrash about, she pulled the paper strip out and crumpled it in her hand.

Madoka had settled into a peaceful slumber after that, while Misa was left with a million questions. Why did she do it? Who would be idiot enough to trust a demon? Wasn't Madoka her friend?

Ever since they were first year students in the class taught by Yuna's mother, the two girls had been friends. They made a bit of an odd couple, the runner up in the Little Miss pageant and her slightly tomboyish seat partner, but they hit it off despite the differences in their temperament. Misa was always curious and ready to give anything a go while Madoka had to be pushed to try something new. Even learning the guitar had been a struggle. It wasn't until she sat the other girl down and showed her some basic chords that Madoka would even touch a guitar. Now look at her.

"Oh!" A blurred shape hopped onto the bench's arm rest, giving her a start. Misa stared at the white ermine with the tail banded black. Recognition swiftly followed. "You're Negi-kun's pet aren't you?"

"I'm not a pet," the ermine responded, causing her sit up and stare. "I prefer to think of myself as a close friend and guidance councilor."

"You … you can talk?"

Tiny paws set on furry hips as the ermine fixed his gaze on her. "After all you've been through," he replied, "is that really a surprise?"

Attacked by otherworldly monsters. Helping ghosts move on to the next world. Magic lessons. Shape shifters. What was a talking animal compared to all of that?

"Would you rather talk to a frog?" the creature continued. "Or maybe a fluffy, white cat?"

"Um, no. I guess not," Misa answered all three questions. "What are you doing here?"

"You look like you have a lot on your mind," Chamo remarked. "Having any problems?"

"No problems," the cheerleader replied, forcing a smile as she did so. "None at all."

"I don't buy it when Negi gives me a fake smile and says 'everything's fine' either," the ermine told her.

"I'm worried about Madoka," she confided in a hushed tone. "She has a crush on … on somebody and doesn't know what a low down, miserable playboy he really is."

"Markham-san is a playboy?" the rodent asked, shocked by both the accusation and the tone of the teen's voice.

"I didn't mention any names," Misa hastily added. "And I don't know how to convince her."

The pair remained silent for a moment as leaves rustled overhead.

"So what you need is a way to show Kugimiya-san the truth about … the person she has a crush on?" Chamo asked and waited for a glum "Yeah" in response. "You're in luck for I have just what you need."

The ermine pulled out a blue lozenge, from where Misa would rather not imagine, and held it out for inspection. "And this is?"

"An appearance changing tablet," Chamo informed her and then glanced around to make sure nobody was about before lowering his voice to a conspiratorial level. "We arrange for your friend and her … crush to meet in Harajuku tomorrow."

"How is that …" she started to ask when the ermine forestalled her with a "wait, wait."

"They go off by themselves and you follow," the tiny schemer outlined. "At an appropriate time, you take the pill and then it will be a cinch to get this low down, miserable playboy to hit on you."

Eyes focused on the blue pill as the girl chewed her lower lip. "I don't want Madoka to get hurt."

"Okay," Chamo responded before turning away. "I just wanted to give you an opportunity."

"No," Misa cried. "Wait."

(-)

Leaving the pill with the teen, Chamo scampered into the brush and stealthily made his way to the far side only to be confronted by a tapping foot in a dark blue pump. "Well?" he was asked.

"She took it," the ermine answered.

"Good."

"Are you sure this is such a great idea?" Chamo asked.

"I don't have time for coddling," the other answered while pushing a pair of tortoise shell glasses up the bridge of her nose. "These girls need to learn some hard truths and fast."

A gleam of avarice shone in tiny eyes as a hopeful voice asked, "I am going to get a pactio out of this?"

"Probably," the woman responded in a non-committed tone. "You do your part vermin and I'll see you are compensated."

(-)

**Teacher Dormitory, Mahora Japan**

With the door closed, Phillip sat on the edge of his bed and held a black and white photograph on his lap. "Mom," he whispered while brushing the picture with his fingertip.

An image of the woman from the photo materialized next to him. "What is it son?" Betty asked.

"Something happened yesterday that I don't understand," he answered. "One moment I was in the living room here, and the next thing I know, I'm standing in some strange woman's shower in Argentina."

His mother's ghost arched an eyebrow at that comment. "A woman's shower huh? That sounds awkward."

"Considering that she tried to choke me," Phillip responded while rubbing a hand against his throat, "it was a little more than awkward."

"So why are you popping into strange women's showers?"

"I was hoping you could explain that to me."

A thoughtful expression crossed the spirit's face, followed by a nod as if his mother had come to a decision.

"There was an incident when I was working for the War Department in Washington D.C.," Betty said. "I was riding a street car home after working late. There was only the driver and myself at first, however we were shortly joined by another man. The newcomer sat down next to me and put his hand on my knee. I pushed it off but he persisted until I moved to a seat near the conductor. I got off at my normal stop, and he followed."

"You can probably guess how scared I felt," the woman continued. "I was staying with my aunt and uncle in their home, but knew they were at a party that evening, so I locked the front door and headed toward the kitchen when the back door rattled. My heart nearly froze."

"There was a shout and a shadow ran past the window and then I rushed to lock that door. A voice I didn't recognize asked me if I was alright, and though I was shaking I said I was and that my family would be back any minute. The stranger then said he'd sit on the front porch until they arrived. I could hear the front porch swing squeak as it swung back and forth for the next hour. The sound stopped right before I heard my Aunt Irene's voice."

"Neither she nor Uncle Charlie saw this Good Samaritan and we joked about him being my guardian angel," Betty told him. "It wasn't until after we were married that l related the story to your father and Arno admitted that it had been him. He had been going through Markham's belongings and found my picture among them and while checking on me, figured I needed an assist. He never could explain how he could do these things, he may not have even understood it himself, but I had always imagined it was just a matter of time before you discovered what you can do."

"And you didn't think to warn me?"

"I worried enough about you growing up without wondering where you teleported to," Betty answered. "Like some girl's shower."

"So where did dad come from?" he asked. "Could it possibly be from this Magic World place Negi and the others spoke about?"

"I honestly don't know son," his mother replied. "Arno said he came from a different world. I always assumed he meant from another planet, he certainly knew enough about space travel, but it could just as easily have been from there."

"What dad wrote in his diary about working on a space plane that went to the moon … that wasn't some kooky, science fiction story?"

"No it wasn't," his mother answered, smiling as she did so. "Part of my work in D.C. was translating captured, German documents. We had received a number of papers about a rocket bomber called the 'silbervogel'. Arno was able to use what I could recall of those plans and combine it with his own knowledge to create a design. With Mister Carlson's help, we formed a company to build a prototype and successfully tested it."

"Then those moon rocks …?"

"Were the evidence our pilots brought back," the spirit answered. "Sue and Isabella beat those two astronauts by about 13 years, though at least Armstrong and Aldrin can truthfully claim to be the first 'men' on the moon."

"When we tried to interest the government in our plane for their Dyna Soar project, it was like opening a huge can of worms," Betty said. "However, we were amazed how much the X-20 resembled our design."

Phillip quietly sat, trying to steady himself for the next question. For 25 years, the man who passed himself off as Phillip Edward Markham Sr. had been missing and was presumed dead. Like his young roommate, he too had questions about the mysteries surrounding his father. "Do you think dad went back … that he might still be alive?"

A frown creased the woman's face as she replied, "Anything is possible Phil, but I don't believe your father wouldn't have made contact during all this time if he could."

Setting the framed picture back on his dresser, Phillip stood and started for the door.

"Where are you off to now?"Betty asked.

"To find my EWO," he answered.

(-)

"EWO?" the spirit asked as she walked alongside her son. "Aren't those teddy bear creatures from a movie?"

"You're thinking Ewok mom," Phillip answered. "What I meant is my Electronic Warfare Officer."

A double cry of "sensei!" distracted both from further questions as twin girls who looked to be Negi's age approached. They were accompanied by a girl as tall as Phillip was who squinted in the bright sunlight. All three wore identical shorts and tee-shirts while binoculars were slung about their necks.

"Hello ladies," Phillip greeted his students. "How's your research project going?"

"Great!" Fumika answered. "And we can combine it with our walking club activities."

"And a good thing too," Fuka added with a grin. "We have to be in top shape for this year's Saharan Death March."

"We started with the campus and have worked our way to the dormitories," Kaede informed him. "But we may have to split up to make any real progress."

"Split up!" Fuka exclaimed. "But you have the bigger binoculars."

"Yeah," the other twin gloomily muttered. "Everything sister Kaede has is bigger than what we've got."

"I'm sure you three will work things out," he said. "By the way, have you seen Hasegawa-san?"

"She and Chachmaru-san were heading in the direction of the Koromo Center," Fumika answered. "They were carrying all these boxes and stuff."

After getting directions, Phillip thanked his students for their work and strode off towards the Koromo Center. "What is this project they're doing?" his mother asked.

"It's a reconnaissance sweep of the area," the teacher replied. "I'm looking for the best points for ambushes."

"You're kidding me right?" the ghost asked in a disbelieving tone.

"I wish I was," he told her.

"These are teenage girls for goodness sake," she said. "What are you doing getting them involved in something like this?"

"Trying to give them the best chance for surviving," he stiffly replied. "These girls have been shot at, kidnapped, assaulted, attacked by demons and I don't know what else."

"What if … what if one of them is killed because of this?"

"What if one of them is killed because I didn't do everything possible to prepare them?" the former sergeant countered. "Do you think I don't second guess myself at every opportunity? I'd evacuate every single one of my students, but where would they be safe?"

"How did we let the world get in this sorry condition?" Betty lamented.

"The world doesn't really change a whole lot mom," Phillip answered. "Just the names in the news."

(-)

**Koromo Center, Mahora Japan **

Darth Vader and a squad of 5 storm troopers were all on the short side Phillip noted, but they still made for an effective blockade. "I just want to see one of my students," the teacher told them.

"I'm sorry sir, but I have my orders," the rather pudgy Vader replied in a voice far removed from the original's menace. "Only cosplayers are allowed in."

"Can one of you get a message to her then?"

"Sorry sir, but our orders are …"

"Is there a problem Lord Vader?" a new comer asked. Turning, Phillip noted a man wearing a red hat, cravat and overcoat with a dark suit and boots.

The troopers and their leader stiffened to immediate attention. "No problem," the Sith assured the dapper arrival. "I was explaining that no one can get in unless they're in costume."

The man in red gazed at Phillip, and the teacher recognized the amused eyes behind a pair of steel-rimmed spectacles. "Fu fu fu, they don't recognize you dear boy," Imma-san said. "They probably didn't see that episode."

Phillip was confused as the man instructed him to remove his coat and tie. "Unbutton your shirt, all the way down," he was told and then the other fellow pulled his shirt tail out and let it hang loose.

"There you go," Albireo told the coterie of guards. "I introduce the Great Teacher Onizuka. Say 'nice to meet you' to these gentlemen."

'Uh, nice to meet you," Phillip mimicked to the less than impressed guards.

"He's rather new to this," Imma informed them in a low voice.

"If he's Onizuka-san," the leader said, "shouldn't he have blonde hair?"

Imma leaned forward to glare on the costumed boy's level. Light flashed from lenses as the man asked, "Would you like me to show you how real vampires battle Lord Vader?"

"Pro … proceed," the boy said as he nervously scooted aside.

"Wicked," an awestruck storm trooper proclaimed as the pair strode past. "Did you see how the sun glinted off his glasses?"

"That was a pretty good trick Imma-san," Phillip mentioned. "Particularly since the sun was behind your back."

"A professional never reveals his methods Markham-san," Albireo evasively replied.

"Who is this Onizuka fellow?" he asked out of curiosity.

"As I understand it, he was a former member of a motorcycle gang who became a high school teacher."

"Sounds like we have something in common," Phillip remarked.

"Fu fu fu, that's what I thought," the mage responded. Switching to English, he then asked, "And who is this charming woman at your side?"

Both ghost and teacher glanced at each other in surprise. "This is my mother," he answered.

"Betty Markham," the ghost announced as she held out her hand to shake. "Pleased to meet you Mister …"

"Imma," the outrageously dressed man said as he turned the woman's hand and kissed it in greeting. "And the pleasure is all mine Missus Markham."

"I like your style Mister Imma," his mother commented.

Feeling uneasy at the exchange, Phillip glanced about as was relieved to find a pair of familiar faces. "Negi-san, Ishikawa-san," the American called out. While Ishikawa was dressed normally, Negi wore a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up above his elbows, green trousers with suspenders and a red bow tie.

"You're rather informally dressed Markham-san," the woman observed.

"I'm in character," Phillip replied. "Nice to meet you."

"It's so disappointing that you chose to forgo the fun," Imma said. "Couldn't you have at least managed a pair of cat ears?"

Ishikawa appeared ready to deliver a scathing reply but the man continued on to Negi. "And you make a splendid Jean Raltique."

"What is this all about?" Phillip wanted to know.

"Several campus clubs are having a cosplay contest," Negi explained. "We three volunteered to be judges. I'm surprised you didn't get the notice. It went out to all of the staff."

"Goodman-san probably hasn't gotten around to translating it for me."

"Since Markham-san is here," Ishikawa said, "You won't need me to have enough judges."

Albireo quickly put a restraining arm about her shoulders. "We couldn't possibly do without your charming comradery."

"Get your hand off," the woman growled in warning, "or be prepared to lose it."

"Let keep things friendly shall we," the librarian said as his hand dropped away.

"I'm curious Imma-san," Negi hastily interjected. "I thought you couldn't leave the library except during the festival?"

"Sakurazaki-san is very clever," Albireo answered. "She did all the necessary paperwork and voila."

A boy and girl, elementary students Phillip guessed, strolled by. The blonde-haired girl wore a rather short skirted, school uniform with black stockings and a beret upon her head. Her white-haired companion wore a black shirt with a short, gold and black vest and what looked like white sweat pants.

"Now who am I again Yuki-kun?" the boy asked.

"Your name is chaos," his young companion answered. "And call me MOMO."

"Negi-kun," Albireo said as the young cosplayers walked past. "Would you say you've seen that white-haired boy before?"

"Many times," the young teacher answered. "His name is Mihai Dragomir. Takamichi brought him here from Romania."

"Does he remind you of anybody?" the older mage asked.

"When we first met, I thought he was a younger Fate Averruncus," Negi replied. "But his power is nowhere near that level."

"Averruncus?" Phillip repeated as he watched Albireo's eyes follow the youngsters. "You've mentioned that name before."

"He was one of Cosmos Entelechea's strongest agents," Imma responded rather than the boy. "He was only beaten by Nagi and Negi-kun here."

"Don't forget McDowell-san," the boy quickly added.

"Oh no," the older mage replied. "It wouldn't do to forget McDowell-san. May her spirit rest in its well deserved peace."

Entering the multi-purpose room, Phillip was amazed by the number of participants. Martial artists sporting facial tattoos rubbed elbows with a group of ninjas all wearing the same metal headbands. A fellow in baggy, red robes and a wig of shoulder-length white hair was engaged in a heated conversation with Mr. Spock. There was even a red-headed girl wearing a blue dress and a white, pinafore apron chatting with a Mad Hatter. It was a bit of a shock for the teacher when he recognized Alice as one of his own students. Before he could say anything, a young man wearing a set of rabbit ears slipped by with an "Excuse me please."

"You're late," Sakurako exclaimed as she glared at the new arrival, whom Phillip realized was the mailroom clerk.

"Tell me about it," the White Rabbit replied. "You wouldn't believe what I went through just to find these ears. Next time I'm coming as Solid Snake."

"Let's go," the girl said before spinning about. Eyes gazed admiringly as the skirt's bottom swished around two shapely legs. "I want to find a good seat."

"She already has a perfectly good one," the clerk noted as he passed a handkerchief to the hatter, who looked puzzled until the rabbit-eared man pointed out a small trickle of blood.

"Glad you could make it," Seruhiko called out above the din. Wearing a green coat over an ensemble that shouted medieval fantasy, the middle school teacher waded through the crowd. "I was afraid that we'd have to draft Nitta-san as a judge."

"Is Nitta-san here?" Negi asked.

As if summoned by the mere mention of his name, the teacher nicknamed the Ogre by countless students, appeared out of the throng. "And where else should the Director of Extracurricular Activities be?" the grey-haired man asked. "Somebody needs to ensure these students maintain the proper discipline."

"I couldn't agree more," Albireo added and Nitta stared closely at the man.

"I'm afraid I don't recognize you," Nitta apologized. "Where do you work?"

"Fu fu fu, my name is Imma," the mage cheerfully responded. "I'm on the library's staff."

"Imma, Imma," the Ogre muttered. "That name sounds familiar."

"Imma-san won the martial arts tournament at last year's festival," Negi offered.

"That was you?" Nitta responded in surprise. "The CGI used in your fight was spectacular."

"Well, not to brag, but I'm considered something of a wizard when it comes to special effects," Albireo declared, drawing a disgusted snort from Ishikawa-san. "Now where do the judges sit?"

"I don't suppose any of you have seen Hasegawa-san recently?" Phillip asked.

"She's in the contestant changing area," Seruhiko answered.

In answer to his knock, the door opened and a girl with short, blonde hair stuck her head out. Eyes roamed over the American and lips curled into a grin. "May I help you?"

"I'm looking for one of the competitors," Phillip answered. "A girl by the name of Hasegawa-san."

"I don't know any Hasegawa-san," the blonde replied, "but if it's a girl you're looking for …"

"What is it?" another voice loudly asked and the girl ducked back inside. Another teen, this one with long, black hair stepped into the corridor.

A white patch covered one eye and her expression reminded Phillip of a scowling training instructor. From the waist up, she wore a shirt resembling the navy white uniform, complete with shoulder boards. Below however …

"What do you want?" the newcomer demanded.

"I'm looking for Hasegawa-san," he answered. "She's a student of mine."

"A student?" she asked. "Ah, you're that teacher from America I've heard about."

"That's right. My name is Markham."

"I beg your pardon Markham-sensei, but all of the competitors are busy applying the finishing touches to their costumes," the girl replied.

"I can see that miss."

"However, I will see what I can do for you." As the partially clad girl went back into the dressing area, Phillip was amazed with how straight her hair and shirt tail remained hanging as she spun around.

"That girl could teach military discipline," he whispered in admiration.

"That girl could use a pair of pants," his mother's spirit sourly observed.

A moment later, Chachamaru stepped outside, though he didn't recognize her at first. Instead of its normal green, the gynoid's hair had been dyed blue. His student was costumed in a futuristic swimsuit with white boots and gloves that reached past her elbows and had a large disc attached at the top. "Hasegawa-san is busy dressing," the robot informed him. "May I help you?"

Rubbing his hand down the back of his head and neck, Phillip could fell the perspiration as it trickled down. "That's some outfit," he cautiously remarked as memories of the robot dancing in that club downtown charged to the forefront.

"Thank you sensei," the monotone voice replied. "I still need to finish putting all of it on."

"Don't let me keep you then," he told her. "I'll talk to Hasegawa-san later."

As Phillip turned to walk back to the competition hall, the two girls he first met exited in a group with four others. Each wore a military style blouse and some had matching jackets as well. Pieces of metal designed to resemble the wings from various vintage aircraft hung on their arms while lower legs were covered with the matching fuselage. However, all still lacked the same vital component. "Aren't you girls forgetting something?"

Heads swiveled back and forth as they glanced at one another and then focused back on him. As a single chorus they answered, "No."

Walking down the hallway, accompanied by the bevy of partially clad cosplayers, an agitated Phillip desperately sought some sort of safe ground. "Pardon my not knowing, but who are you supposed to be?"

"I am Kaigun Daii Sakamoto," the girl with the eye patch answered. "My fellow fighters and I have banded together in a war against an alien menace that invaded our word in the year 1939. And who are you?"

"I'm the Great Teacher Onizuka," he answered. "Nice to meet you."

A spate of giggles greeted his reply and then the girl with the short, blonde hair grinned broadly and requested to see his German suplex. "Maybe some other time," the teacher replied, provoking even more giggles.

"1939. Oh I get it," he suddenly exclaimed. "These are all aircraft from that era: the Zero, the Spitfire, the P-51 Mustang …"

"You know your aircraft," Sakamoto observed.

"It's something of a professional interest," he replied.

"Are you a pilot?" one of them asked. "Perhaps you could teach us about 'flying in formation'."

"If sensei is offering private lessons," the blonde added, "I'll sign up."

"What are these girls saying Phillip?" his mother asked. "Your face is flushed."

Fortunately, he was saved from further conversation as the group headed for the contestant's area and Phillip found refuge among the non-competitors. Seruhiko-san stepped to the front of the room and the crowd quieted. After a brief explanation of the evening's rules, the competitors were called to the stage as individuals or groups and each performed an in-character skit for the audience. Not being familiar with many of the shows or games being copied, it was difficult for the American to understand the subtleties. Although subtle was not the proper adjective to use for several of the contestants.

It was near the competition's end when his two students mounted the stage. Phillip noted that Chachamaru's additions amounted to a headpiece and pistol. Lights blinked and a buzzer blared as the robot squeezed the trigger. "The ship is about to capsize," she stated. "Please make haste."

"Wait!" Chisame cried while stepping from behind her partner. The hackers' hair had been partially braided and the hemline of her yellow and purple dress barely met acceptable standards. "KOSMOS … do you understand what you've done?"

"My assigned duty is to protect Vector employees," the other girl answered. "Protection of military personnel is not part of my prime directive."

Their re-enactment continued a little longer until Chisame fell into the gynoid's arms. Faces inched towards one another as silence claimed the audience. The hacker's hands, resting on Chachamaru's shoulders, made a flipping motion and pieces of swimsuit fell away as they spun towards the crowd, revealing that the robot wore an even skimpier bikini beneath. Phillip's heart beat twice before a deafening roar of approval erupted.

Judging from the reaction, Phillip wasn't surprised when the two girls received the contest's grand prize. During the post-judging mingling, he found Chisame being pestered with questions by a helmetless Darth Vader.

"Please, please, please won't you help us?" the chunky boy begged.

"I don't have the time what with school work and getting ready for the festival," she answered.

"But you two are a shoo-in for the Summer Feast contest," the chunky boy said. "And we really need the help."

"Like I said," the girl started and then glanced over at him. "Oh. Markham-sensei. Did you want something?"

Hearing the pleading note in her question, Phillip answered, "Yes, I want to talk with you about that research project."

"Certainly sensei," a relieved voice said before she turned to the teen and flashed a quick smile. "Sorry. Gotta go."

Picking up her ever present laptop case, they fled to the corridor outside. "What was all that about if you don't mind my asking?"

"Benjiro-san wanted me to help him and his friends work on their cosplay skills," Chisame answered. "They think they can make it to Nagoya. Amateurs."

When he asked what was so special about Nagoya, Chisame told him about the World Cosplay Summit and plans to create an annual cosplay championship. "They held the initial summit last year and this year's will feature a parade with international participants. The organizers hope to have the first true championship at the 2005 World Exposition in Nagoya."

"Is that what you're aiming for?" Phillip asked. "The World Cosplay Championship?"

"Not really," she answered in a subdued tone. "I sometimes think about how nice it would be to win, but the idea of competing in front of thousands of people is … is …"

"A little daunting?"

"Yes, a little daunting," the teen agreed. "So what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I'd like for you to check out a possible, family connection of mine," Phillip answered, "a man by the name of Arno Dali."

Seated at a table in a side room, Chisame summoned her artifact and connected to the magic world's Maho-net. Fingers typed as he anxiously looked on. Phillip still hadn't decided if he'd rather the search find something or not when his student exclaimed, "I've got a response." Quickly he gazed at the screen over her shoulder as the girl explained, "There's a Dali ship building company in Tempe Terra."

"Any mention of Arno?"

"No, but there are over 19,000 results to check out," Chisame informed him. "That's interesting …"

"What?"

"If I'm reading this correctly, it looks as if the Dali Company was recently bought out by a larger outfit called Century Corp."

"That doesn't sound so unusual," the teacher commented.

"It wouldn't be except I'm checking on this Century Corp for Professor Springfield," she responded. "Who is this Arno Dali you're interested in?"

"My father."

(-)

**Harajuku, Tokyo Japan**

"I suggested calling them the Pantsu Brigade, but Clyde-san said somebody else was already using that name," Sakurako told them as the girl related the previous evening's events. Bodies jostled one another as people exited the train car, channeled by the press of people waiting to get on. "So we decided on the Flying Pantsu."

"I'm surprised Nitta-san let them on the stage dressed like that," Misa commented as the three cheerleaders made their way off the platform. "Or undressed in this case."

"I thought the Ogre was going to have a heart attack or something when he found out they weren't students and the event organizers had invited them," the red-haired girl replied. "They were there to advertise a concept for a new anime. I can't imagine who would want to watch girls dressed up as airplanes, flying around with their underwear showing."

"Oh I can," Madoka remarked. "They all go to the boy's school."

"I wonder if Yuna-san would too or even Markham-sensei," Misa said. "They're both into that World War II stuff aren't they?"

"Do you think sensei would really be interested in something so juvenile sounding?" Madoka asked.

"Well Miss Messerschmitt was certainly interested in sensei," the red-head pointed out.

"What do you mean?"

"Markham-sensei disappeared shortly after the contest ended and this girl in a German uniform kept asking if anyone knew where he was or could give him her phone number," Sakurako answered. "Said she wanted to arrange for some private tutoring from the Great Onizuka."

Madoka pondered that statement as she and her friends slowly shuffled through the gate to the Takeshita Dori. Of course, she found sensei attractive, but the thought that other girls did and would aggressively pursue him was unsettling. Keeping her distance meant others would move in, but being closer would cause him to leave Mahora.

Thinking back to a half-remembered dream, Madoka recalled having a picnic with sensei, Misa and Sakurako near a lake. Though hazy in her recollections, it had ended with her chasing the man through a forest and calling out his name. Sensei finally jumped off a cliff. Could that dream be telling her something? Could it be a warning? Like her dream in California?

Ignoring the stands of merchandise closest to the station, the group worked their way down the crowded lane. Just past the ice cream stand with a familiar, feline face plastered all over it, she stopped in front of a store display. Dressed in a black, sleeveless top and faded jeans, the plaster manikin returned the teen's gaze. Behind her, a familiar voice spoke in English.

"Thanks for letting me tag along." Spinning around, Madoka saw her homeroom teacher approaching. "I've heard so much about this place but never found the time to visit before."

Accompanying sensei were Professor Springfield, Anya and Natsumi's little brother Kotaro. Perched on Negi's shoulder was the boy's pet ermine. What were they doing in Harajuku?

"It's no bother at all," Negi assured the older teacher.

"Yeah, no bother," Anya, looking even grumpier than normal, added.

"Hey! It's some of your students sensei," Kotaro exclaimed as the dark-haired boy spotted the trio of cheerleaders. "Hi girls!"

After a quick round of hellos, Negi explained that they were sightseeing while Anya did some shopping.

"If you're interested in shopping for clothing," Sakurako said, "there's this great second hand store back a couple of blocks."

"Yeah, that place is fantastic," Misa enthusiastically seconded as the cheer squad captain spun Anya and Negi around by their shoulders. "Come on."

"We'll be right back Madoka," her roommate called out as they disappeared into the crowd.

"Not again," the dark-haired girl muttered under her breath. Turning to the remaining pair, she caught Kotaro shrugging towards Markham-sensei as if to say "whatever."

"Sakurako said you were at the contest last night," she mentioned. "What did you think of it?"

"I didn't understand most of the references," Phillip admitted, "but it was fun."

"Does that include the Flying Pantsu?"

"The Flying what?" Kotaro's shocked voice asked.

"Oh them," the man replied with a sheepish grin. "For as little as there was of it, those girls put an impressive amount of detail into their costuming."

"So who were you dressed as sensei?"

"I was the Great Teacher Onizuka," he answered.

"Onizuka?" Kotaro asked. "Wasn't he a street punk who became a teacher just so he could date …"

"Are you hungry Kotaro?" Madoka interrupted. As if on cue, the boy's stomach rumbled in response to the thought of food. Digging through her purse, she pulled some money out. "There's a crepe stand back they way we came. Why don't you get something?"

Again boy and man glanced at each other before Kotaro took the folded bills. "Yeah. Thanks Kugimiya-neesan."

She could feel sensei's gaze. "I take it you'd like to say something in private," the man asked.

"I had a strange dream the other night," Madoka answered.

"No drums or blizzards in this one I hope," Phillip commented.

"No," she replied. "You and I were having a picnic and whenever things started to get um, romantic, something would happen to stop it. Near the end, it's kind of fuzzy why, but I was chasing you through a forest until you fell off a cliff."

The teen gazed up at him, her puzzled expression tinged with worry. "I've been trying to figure out what it might mean and I think I've got it."

"What's that Kugimiya-san?"

"I think it means that we have a good relationship, but we shouldn't try or allow others to force it into one direction or another," she answered. "It should flow naturally, like a river."

Her lips twisted into a slight grimace. "That sounds kind of corny doesn't it?"

"No, not at all," he disagreed. "It's a beautiful thought. So what does it mean? Flowing naturally like a river that is?"

"Well for a start," Madoka responded with a nod towards the direction her fellow cheerleaders had gone, "I don't let my friends find ways for us to be together. For another …"

Although familiar with the term 'pregnant pause', Madoka had never realized what it meant. A whole gamut of emotions was contained in the teen's hesitation: resoluteness, sadness, reluctance and rationality; all within the interval between heartbeats. "For another maybe I shouldn't hang around so much."

"You know, give each other some space," she hastily added. "Maybe go out with boys my own age."

"That's a very sensible idea Kugimiya-san," Phillip said, smiling as he did so. Out of the corner of her eye, Madoka saw a figure wearing a black jump suit covered with lightning bolts walk past. The teacher's gaze locked onto the stranger and followed until the man stopped in front of a store selling sunglasses.

"What's the matter sensei?"

"Wait here," Phillip answered and then began to tail the stranger.

**(-)**

Spending nearly half of his relatively short life within the sheltered confines of Meldiana hadn't prepared Negi for the reality of the bigger world outside the school's protective, whitewashed walls. Compared to the tranquil Welsh countryside, the stream of people walking past the shop's window seemed a veritable flood.

Sighing, the youngster re-settled an armload of clothes and proceeded to rock back and forth on his heels. Eventually, Anya emerged from the dressing area to swap out a few items she would keep for the next batch to try on. At least she hadn't bothered with asking his opinion on this trip to Harajuku. Considering he was now holding a lacy, pink skirt and a black tee-shirt emblazoned with a skull and crossbones, Negi was rather thankful.

Suddenly worried, the young boy started scanning the immediate area. "Where'd Chamo go?" he asked while looking around for a tell-tale flash of white.

"Probably looking up girl's dresses," Anya snorted in disgust. "How you ever became friends with such a perverted animal, I'll never know."

"He's not perverted," Negi quickly defended the absent ermine.

"No," Anya replied with raised eyebrows. "What would you call somebody who steals several hundred pairs of knickers then?"

Not waiting for an answer, she turned and headed back to the changing room, instructing him to "Wait there. I may need some help in a moment."

(-)

Moving past the curtain, Anya stepped inside the dimly lit space, setting the bundle of clothes aside before noticing the missing ermine quietly seated on a chair. A frown creased her features as she asked, "What are you doing in here?"

"I want to talk to you about making a pactio with Big Brother."

Anya's world halted at those words. Growing up with a head case like Negi was not an easy task. The boy's cheerfully optimistic outlook had always grated on her nerves, particularly that nonsense about his father coming whenever there was trouble. The stupid git hadn't even known what death meant.

Yet during their years together at Meldiana, her views about Negi had decidedly changed. He was still an obstinate blockhead, chasing after the ghost of man long dead, but she could see many admirable traits within him too, among them: loyalty, perseverance, sincerity and a desire to achieve that had nothing to do with personal reward and everything to do with helping others.

Slowly, without her realizing it was happening, Negi transformed from irritating rival to irritating object of her affection. God, how she wanted to punch his lights out for it too! Everybody at the Meldiana had blindly assumed Anya had a lock on him, leaving the two of them pretty much alone. While the breathing room was nice, the sideways glances and whispered comments riled the youngster's temper like nothing else.

After graduation, not a day went by without some report of the Thousand Master's son, the Great Negi Springfield. Even working as a fortuneteller in London, she'd receive word of his exploits. "Another hero in the making" complete strangers would proclaim as they eagerly recounted the latest news from Japan. Inevitably they would end with "The girl who makes a pactio with him will have to be something else."

A pactio with Negi … the very though caused tingles in response. But when she arrived in Japan last year to drag his sorry butt back to Wales, Anya was aghast to find the boy Romeo had already made several pactios; and with his students at that, the little lecher! More pactios followed as their misadventure in the Mundus Magicus progressed. What had truly hurt Anya though was knowing that she wouldn't be his first.

"A pactio? Ha!" the girl scoffed. "Don't be stupid. Why would I ever want to pactio with a space cadet like Negi?"

"We ermines are very sensitive to the emotions of those around us," Chamo pointedly remarked. "And don't forget that I was there in the basement when you confessed to him last year."

In a moment of weakness following their return from the Magic World, Anya had finally whispered how she felt about him to the clueless boy. A red-faced, stammering Negi was not the response she had hoped for, but in hindsight, to have expected anything else was self delusion. "It's no big deal," the twelve year old shrugged. "If I wanted a pactio so badly, I'd have made one then."

"In front of your mother and father … and all the other villagers?" his sly voice asked. "Not to mention three of his provisional partners?"

"Well … um … I"

"Deny it all you want Anya-neesan," that insinuating voice continued, "but your heart is an open book to me."

"I … uh … couldn't possibly …" Thoughts spun about like a merry-go-round gone mad. It was true that she couldn't be Negi's first; however, he could still be hers.

(-)

No music played in the garage that morning as Tsubasa's vacant gaze settled on a rack of his brother's tools, each carefully hung in precisely the right spot. Parked before the rack was a custom cycle the two enthusiasts had been working on. But Kai wouldn't be around to finish it.

Images came of them roaring down the street in pursuit of a pair on another motorcycle. A tractor-trailer blocked the intersection and Tsubasa could feel the exultation of the hunt's end build within him; that was before the gaijin laid his bike down and slid beneath the big rig. The American had to be crazy to pull a stunt like that, but it worked. He had laid his own bike over to keep from crashing. Kai didn't react quickly enough.

Shutting his eyes didn't prevent the rest of the memory from playing out as his brother's motorcycle slammed into the trailer and burst into flames. Seconds later, police sirens wailed, chasing him and his sister away. Muscles clench involuntarily as a great sob heaved its way out. Wrenches clattered to the shop's cement floor as a hand pounded the tool rack. "Uhn," Tsubasa cried as his knife blade sunk into the motor cycle's stitched leather seat and slashed through it again and again. "Uhhhhnnnn."

Dimly, the young man heard his cell phone ringing. Letting go of the knife, he flipped open the cover and noted his sister's number flashing. "What do you want?" his irate voice demanded.

"I'm looking straight at the gaijin bastard that killed Kai," Urara said.

"What?" he asked, stunned by the girl's statement. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure," she spat back. "Looks like he's sight-seeing with a bunch of kids."

"Where are you?"

"Harajuku station," his sister answered. "They're heading towards the Takashita Dori."

"Keep them in sight," Tsubasa told her. "I'm on my way."

Having changed into his lightning blazoned racing suit, Tsubasa shoved past assorted vendors, tourists and teens scarcely younger than himself until he found the American. The old guy was chatting up a girl with whose dark-hair had been cut short. Although the chick's face was pretty enough, her figure could have done with some filling out. 'Must like 'em skinny,' he though and then paid her no further attention.

Passing by the couple with a feigned air of indifference, Tsubasa stopped as if peering at the cheap sunglasses displayed on a rotating rack. Picking up a pair with a mirrored finish, he noted that the man was staring at his back. Setting the glasses back, he proceeded slowly down the street. Ensuring that the foreigner was still trailing, he turned onto a side street and led the gaijin to a nearby bank's parking lot. Up he climbed to the second floor and hunkered down next to his motorcycle. Shoes scuffled behind the young man, followed by the click of a gun being cocked.

"Inside," Urara commanded as she pushed the pistol's muzzle against the back of the stranger's head.

Tsubasa stood and faced them. "Good job sis," he complemented as then slid his knife free of its sheath.

"You're the bastard who killed our brother," he said while brandishing the polished steel blade beneath the other's nose. "I'm going to enjoy cutting you."

Another pair of shoes scrapped against the outside steps as Tsubasa motioned for silence and then stepped into the shadows. Alerted by an indrawn breath, he grabbed hold of an arm and pulled the surprised girl inside, shoving her back to the wall and holding the knife to her throat. It was the dark-haired teen who had been talking to the American. "Well what do we have here?" he drawled. "Looks as if the gaijan's popular with the ladies."

Like any predator, Tsubasa could smell the scent of fear as it rolled off of the girl. "What's the big attraction?" he asked, shrugging towards the captive man.

A mouse caught in a serpent's gaze would stare at the approaching eyes, paralyzed by fright, but this girl's eyes darted to the old man and back again. "He," a voice breathlessly replied, "… he offered me money."

"Enko?" Tsubasa whispered and she nodded her head.

Enjo kosai, or compensated dating, was common these days as older men paid young girls for their company. Such trysts didn't always involve sex, but enough did for the practice to be labeled prostitution. With his free hand he groped the girl's chest through her shirt, leering as he did so. "How about we play instead?"

A shudder ran through the teen as he forced her legs apart with his knee, arousing him even more. Then something changed in her demeanor. Fear evaporated, replaced by what could only be called a sense of control. A hand reached out and began to rub against the young man's crotch. Tsubasa's breath grew ragged as blood pounded loudly in his ears. A low moan escaped from between lips as fingers tugged down the suit's zipper and caressed bare skin. Lowering the knife from her throat, he guided those fingers down lower and then gasped as they began to gently stroke him.

"Quit fooling around!" Urara demanded. "Go ahead and cut her!"

"Shut the hell up!" he yelled back as the girl cupped what some referred to as the delicates. "Ooh that feels so good."

Clench! Pain shot through him as the hand squeezed hard. The knife slipped to the floor as the man screamed, only to be cut short by a fist smashing into the side of his face. Urara yelled as the other man jerked his sister's arm up and drove the point of his elbow into her nose. Blood poured down the woman's chin as her arm was shoved against her shoulder blade and the pistol safely removed.

"Madoka!" the gaijin yelled while Tsubasa writhed in agony on the ground. "Call the police!"

(-)

A bell rang announcing a new customer's arrival, but Negi couldn't see who it was over top of the scattered racks. Less than a minute later, Kotaro emerged into view. The other boy had his back turned and scratched at the back of his head. Ears unfolded as if straining to catch a particular sound. "Kotaro," he whispered, causing the other to spin around.

Though apparently relieved to find Negi, an expression of agitation was on Kotaro's face as the dark-haired boy approached. "I can't tell from the crowd gathered around," his frequent sparring partner said, "but I think Markham-sensei and Kugimiya-san might be in trouble."

"Here, hold these," Negi replied as he passed Anya's clothing over. "Anya's in the dressing room. Let her know where I went."

By the time he had arrived, a crowd of bystanders, kept back by a police cordon, milled in front of a parking garage. A man dressed in black and yellow, riding leathers was being led away in handcuffs to a waiting squad car. Phillip and Madoka stood to one side, each giving an official statement, while a medic applied an ice pack to another woman's nose. Negi noted that while neither of his friends seemed hurt, dried blood stained the injured person's lower face and blouse.

Knowing that he could do nothing for them at the moment, the youngster headed back to the store. 'And I thought today was going to be boring,' Negi said to himself while walking back to where Kotaro waited, only to find the other boy missing. Gazing down the end of the hall, he felt a surge in magic energy. Light flashed as he raced towards the changing room, ripped the curtain aside and froze as if struck by one of Count Wilhelm's petrifying beams.

Anya and Kotaro stood in the center of a fading spell circle. The girl's held the sides of the boy's head and their lips were pressed firmly together. Anya's eyes were closed but her partner's gaped wide.

"Anya?" Negi squeaked and her eyes instantly flew open. Face filled with shock and horror, the twelve year old mage let go of Kotaro and stepped back. As her gaze rapidly moved between the boys, he noticed the red flames glowing in the young girl's eyes and began to cast about for cover.

"Geez!" Kotaro exclaimed while wiping a shoulder across his mouth. "What was that for?"

"**Flaming knuckle!**"

Kotaro, launched from the dressing room, barreled into Negi and both crashed against the wall. Little tongues of fire danced about Anya as she scowled at the boys lying in tangled heap. Next to her feet, a white ermine stood with a puzzled expression on its face. "That wasn't supposed to happen," Chamo murmured as two more girls stepped out of an adjacent room.

Negi recognized Sakurako but it took him a moment to place the eight year old girl dressed in oversized clothing. "Misa-san?"

His former student's cheeks colored an angry red as Misa glared at Chamo. "Look what you did to me!" the girl cried.

"Oops. Wrong pill I guess," the ermine confessed. "Don't worry. The effects will wear off …" but he didn't get the chance to finish as her screech cut the explanation off.

Chamo bolted and Misa hurtled over the bodies strewn across the floor, shouting, "Come back here you little rat!"

(-)

**Teacher's Dormitory, Mahora Japan**

Knuckles tightly wrapped in gauze struck the heavy bag as Phillip jabbed, recovered and then threw a right cross to complete the combination. Ever since his father introduced a gangly, thirteen year old with a sarcastic mouth to boxing, he had let aggression out in way that didn't result in black eyes or calls home from the principal's office. One, two, one, two, the simple rhythm repeated. His mind's eye pictured the knife held to Madoka's throat and his gut twisted in an angry response. Jab, cross, jab, cross and then his fist exploded forward in a hook that sank into the sand filled bag before falling back to the previous one, two.

Feet shuffled across blue and white workout mats. Breath grew strained as the boxer's pulse raced. Phillip had intended to discuss their relationship with Madoka, but the girl had beaten him to the punch. "Maybe I shouldn't hang around so much. You know, give each other some room." Those words were so very close to what he had intended to say. Why did it sting for them to have come from her mouth instead? Playing the role he was supposed to, Phillip had pasted a smile on and agreed. And then those bastards …

Stepping in close to the bag, he let loose a flurry of punches at what would be an opponent's mid-section. Knuckles stung despite their cloth bindings, but still he hammered blow after blow, stopping only when his breath ran out. With the room reeling, Phillip gripped the bag with both hands and leaned a cheek against its smooth vinyl surface.

"One wonders if you consider that bag your enemy or lover," a feminine voice observed.

"Neither. Both," Phillip replied while keeping his eyes pointed straight ahead. "Why did Ishikawa-san let you out?"

"My mistress is concerned about you," Himeiko answered from the doorway. "She sent me to provide any assistance you might need."

Beads of perspiration rolled down Phillip's face. He could hear the sound of mats scrunching as the succubus approached. "I don't need what you provide."

He flinched as a pair of hands gripped his shoulders and began massaging them. "Don't be too sure about that," the demon replied as she applied pressure to aching muscles. "How long has it been anyway?"

"How long has what been?"

"How long since you were last with a woman?" Himeiko answered.

"Not long enough that I'd want to trade my soul in for the opportunity," he told her.

"I don't want your soul," the succubus chuckled as her practiced hands continued to knead tension away. "I only want some of that repressed energy that's going to be wasted in a cold shower."

"Oh I forgot," she continued in mock surprise. "You're the stoic hero of this little drama and are obligated to suffer in silence. It wouldn't do to admit having any desires let alone show weakness by giving into them."

Face flushed, Phillip spun around and caught the demon's hands between his own. "No, it wouldn't."

"Tell Ishikawa-sensei that I appreciate her concern," the man said, as he released the captive hands and started for the exit.

Arms wrapped around the teacher's waist as feet left the floor. Himeiko arched her back and twisted, driving Phillip's shoulder into the mats and then straddled her prone victim. Lips swooped down as the lilim's mouth hungrily sought his.

Two floors above, Evangeline glanced away from the scene reflected in the crystal sphere and frowned. "In a battle, you can't be squeamish about doing what needs to be done." Eva had tried to impress that message upon the cheerleaders throughout their training sessions. While 'he who hesitates is lost' was a well-worn cliché, that didn't make it any less true. Boya had quickly learned that lesson and it seemed as if Madoka had caught on too. Now if only the tiny vampire could follow her own advice.

If Eva was ever to escape the curse that confounded Nagi had placed on her, the Thousand Master's son needed to remain alive. Everything she had done over the past months had been geared to that purpose, or so the undead mage told herself. Letting sentiment cloud her judgment would only bring disaster upon them all. Wasn't the episode with the witiko proof of that? She would train the little brat's friends! She would see that Negi survived the impending battle! She would do whatever it took to be free, even if it left a bitter taste of gall in her mouth. For in the end, the vampire had no choice; this was the part the dreaded Queen of Woe had been cast in.

(-)

**A/N: Chapter heading and inspiration for the chapter should be obvious.**

**With the cosplay contest, I have way too many sources to cite, so I'm not even going to try.**

**The silbervogel (German for silver bird) was a bomber designed during the WW II that would reach altitudes beyond any the range of any anti-aircraft weapon. The X-20 was a prototype space plane designed for the US as part of the Dyna Soar project. You can check all three up on Wikipedia. That particular scene between Betty and Phillip refers to events from an unpublished novel called "Carlson's Crusade."**

**Taking the idea that Negi could travel to cinema village using Setsuna's mini-Setsuna talisman, I applied it to allow Albireo to leave the library.**

**Harajuku is a popular shopping district in Tokyo and Takashida Dori is one of the spots to hang out and see the wildest fashions.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: As my sojourn in foreign lands winds to an end, things are just ramping up for the characters.**

**Negima and its characters are owned by Ken Akamatsu.**

**The following conventions are used: **"words", 'thoughts' and **"spells".**

**Valley of the Upas**

**There stands the awesome Upas Tree, lone watchman of a lifeless land** – Alexander Pushkin

**Mahora, Japan**

Sunday's were made for enjoying with your friends, but Haruki's enjoyment had been rapidly eroding as the youngster watched, with mounting ire, as Yuki spent more and more time with the new student in their class. Mihai was a strange boy, from Romania it was rumored, who started school at Mahora but a few weeks ago.

He was polite, quiet and turned in all of his homework on time which made the white-haired boy popular with the teachers. He was also good in sports and couldn't be pushed around by the bullies, both of which increased his standing with fellow students. Yet the Romanian boy would often stare through people as if they weren't there or gaze so intently as if boring into them. In the end it didn't matter how oddly Mihai acted; only the fact that Yuki preferred the other's company was important.

Yuki, her short-clipped, blonde hair hidden beneath another of those floppy hats of hers, walked over to the group.

"Where's Mihai-kun?" somebody asked, earning a glare from Haruki.

"He'll be along in a minute." Her answer flew arrow-like and struck already sensitive nerves.

A gust of wind blew the girl's hat and tumbled it over and over until depositing it in a flower bed. "I'll get it," Haruki shouted as the dark-haired boy dashed in pursuit. Ahead, his rival sauntered into view and halted in front of the flower bed. "Don't!" the boy warned as a hand reached for the dangling hat. "Leave it alone!"

He crashed into Mihai and bounced off as if he had run full tilt into a brick wall. Furious, Haruki rose to his feet with fists tightly balled while the white-haired interloper stared vacantly back. Grunting, the youngster swung and struck only an open hand. That hand gripped his with inhuman strength. A thin smile appeared on the Romanian's lips and Haruki felt a tingling as hairs on the back of the elementary student's neck stood up. Eyes that had seemed empty glowed as brilliantly as the sun. He blinked and the light was gone.

"You idiot!" Yuki yelled as she ran towards the pair. Mihai let go of his hand and without saying a word stepped back, leaving the hat were it was. Numbly, Haruki lifted it up only to have the enraged girl snatch it from his grasp. Yuki gave a snort of disgust, set the hat atop her head and then walked away with the foreign boy.

Haruki started to move and fell to the ground as his shoes refused to budge. After stepping out of them, the youngster examined his footwear and was astonished to find that the soft earth of the flower bed had hardened to trap his sneakers in a concrete-like hold.

(-)

"So what you're suggesting is that we break off our relationship."

Shirai dared not look at the girl walking by his side. Every bit of resolve would vanish in an instant if he did. The hurt in her voice was enough to make the young man want to crawl under a rock. Her pain wasn't that of a broken heart; rather it was more resignation over losing something that the girl never believed she would be able to keep. He had feared Konoka would break down in tears, but her seeming acceptance of the inevitable struck him as worse.

"At least you had the courtesy to tell me in person," Konoka sighed, causing the junior game programmer to cringe in guilt. He had considered calling over the telephone; however, she had always treated him with the utmost respect and Shirai couldn't find it within him to do otherwise.

Walking past Mahora's outskirts, he felt the steep incline as the couple's path took them into the surrounding hills. "I'm sorry Konoka-san," he apologized again, "but it won't work out. We come from different worlds."

"They're not so different when you look closely," the chocolate-haired girl calmly replied. "We deal with the same problems everyday and they don't go away just because I can wave a wand around."

One of Shirai's college classmates had a rather vulgar comment, relating to what a whale might leave on the ocean floor, that described how low the young man was feeling. "I am trying to think of what's best for you too," he protested.

"Are you?" she asked in a tone only a hair's breadth shy of accusatory.

"Yes I am," Shirai maintained. "I don't want to be used to put you in danger again."

Grabbing hold of his wrist, Konoka halted and spun around to face him. "You do realize that if we never see each other again, that won't keep me from being in danger?" she asked. "These people will strike at anyone and everyone near me."

From up the trail came a little girl's voice. "Is it hurt Mihai-kun?"

"I can't tell," an equally young sounding boy answered. "It's just twitching."

"Come on," Konoka said and, still gripping his hand, dashed towards the sounds.

A girl wearing a floppy hat stood a few paces away from a white-haired boy who knelt while gazing intently at an object on the ground. The object was covered with brown fur and Shirai recognized it as a bear cub. "Step away from there," he warned.

They slowed their pace as the children turned towards them. "But it's hurt," the young girl complained.

"What are your names?" Konoka asked.

"I'm Yuki," the blonde girl answered. "And he's Mihai."

"I can see the cub is injured," the teen replied. "We need to get help here as quickly as possible. Can you and Mihai-kun run back to town and call campus security? My friend and I will stay here while you do."

Yuki looked closely at Konoka and then excitedly exclaimed, "You were one of the nurses from the Mars Mage battle last year! Can't you make him better?"

"I don't know," the healer answered. "That's why you two need to call security."

Shirai watched as the children disappeared down the path he and Konoka had walked up. "Can you heal a bear?"

"There's only one way to find out," she answered. Pulling a wand with a heart-shaped tip from her pocket, Konoka knelt by the unconscious creature. An unseen force shimmered about her and Shirai felt increasing pressure build in the surrounding air. It was not unlike being around the old annex to Keitaro's inn, before that decrepit building collapsed upon itself.

'You don't suppose …' the computer programmer began and then discarded the thought as a soft glow enveloped the healer's hands. "Is there anything I can do?"

Strain grew on her face as the glow extended from hands to encompass the cub. "Just keep anything from disturbing me," Konoka answered as sweat beaded on her forehead.

'I wonder where the cub's mother …' He got no further as the answer shambled into view. The bear's gaze swept the area and then latched onto the humans gathered about its child. Letting loose with a deep growl, the enraged parent bounded towards them. Without thinking, Shirai stepped forward to interpose himself between Konoka and the mountain of teeth, claws and fur rushing towards them.

He was oddly calm as certain death bore down. Shirai wasn't armed, the young man didn't have any magic nor could he defeat a wild animal with his bare hands. Yet standing at Konoka's side at that moment struck him as the most natural thing in the world. 'Maybe I can give you a second longer.'

The bear suddenly shrank before his astounded eyes. No, he realized, it was sinking into the ground. The beast had unknowingly charged into a pool of mud and had become stuck fast in the viscous muck. Shirai whirled about as the light faded. The cub stirred and unsteadily rose to its feet. A frustrated roar kicked the couple into high gear as they fled back down the trail, not stopping until they were among the city's buildings.

Stopping to catch their breath, Konoka reached out and cupped his cheek with her hand. "I've never had that many friends that I would wish to cast one aside," she explained. "It's pure selfishness on my part … but …"

Arms reached out and embraced the girl as Shirai drew her close. "I don't know how," the young man whispered into her ear, "but we'll make this work."

Arms hugged back in return. "You could move here," Konoka suggested. "The school is always hiring."

"No, that would be like living off your family," he emphatically declared. "Even if you won't need me to, I want to prove that I can support us on my own."

He gazed down at her. "Please understand."

A head laid against his chest in response. "I do Shirai-san," she murmured. "I do."

(-)

**Cerberus Infinite Prison, Mundus Magicus**

The flash from the teleportation spell faded, leaving Regina blinking on the arrival platform. "State your name," a dispassionate voice demanded.

"Anastasia Regina Karkolova," she responded.

"Hoshu Gijou," her bodyguard added. As multiple enchantments verified their identities, Regina glanced over at the fox-man who seemed uncomfortable without the accustomed weight of a rapier and dagger on his belt.

"Relax Gijou-san," she whispered. "I'm perfectly safe here."

"Oh you're safe alright," her guardian whispered back, "surrounded by the absolute dregs of two worlds."

"Would you feel better with a squad of dementers?" the woman teased.

"No," the fox-man answered as the voice ordered them to proceed down the ramp. Indicating the dozen or so guards lined up at the base, Gijou continued, "And those tin plated knights don't make me feel any better."

"You can't see their faces," he complained. "Who knows what's hiding in that armor?"

"What indeed?" Regina agreed as a woman dressed in mage robes stepped in front of the assembled knights.

Short, stout with her graying hair clipped in a pageboy style, the official bowed in greeting. "Welcome to Cerberus Infinite Prison Speaker Karkolova."

"Thank you Director Hogorsha," she responded with equal formality.

"Rooms have been prepared should you wish to rest after your journey," the prison's director informed her. As isolated as the prison was, it took several days travel by broom to reach the nearest village, such offers had once been more than a polite formality.

"That will not be necessary," Regina said, adhering to proper form. "I am somewhat pressed for time."

"Then let us not delay," the director responded. "Please follow me."

With Gijou and the armed escort several paces behind, the two women spoke in low tones.

"How are you doing Clarice?" she asked.

"As well as can be expected," the director answered. Clarice Hogorsha had been the Mage Council's Secretary of Security up until she had been implicated in the coup attempt led by Saseru Enteofushia. Her sudden change of heart prior to the events in Ostia along with her zealousness in uncovering the other plotters had saved the woman from being turned into an ermine. "But then I'm lucky to be on this side of the fence."

Regina had been shocked when the repentant mage had requested an assignment here. She would have refused had Takahata-san, speaking on behalf of the Kanto Magic Association, not intervened.

"Hogorsha-san isn't a traitor," the mage in the rumpled suit had claimed. "Like so many others, she was duped by those who should have been trustworthy."

Personally, the Speaker wondered if Takahata's "mission" had anything to do with the woman's turnaround. But if Clarice's strategy had worked then the man's faith was perfectly justified.

"And how is our little bird doing?" Regina cautiously asked.

A slight smile appeared on the director's lips. "About ready to sing I'd say."

Coming to an intersecting passageway, Regina stopped and stared down the crossing corridor prompting her guide to inquire if something was wrong. "That leads to the infirmary doesn't it?" she asked. "One of my brother's friends worked there a long time ago."

"Would you like to stop by?" the other woman asked.

"Some other time perhaps," Regina answered.

Minutes later, the group halted in front of another passage guarded by a huge dog. In form, the creature resembled a white-furred, Labrador retriever though it was the size of a pony. "Gerd," the director addressed the animal. "This is Regina Karkolova."

Intelligence shone from the soft, golden brown eyes regarding her. Legends of the Cu Sith, or the fairy hounds, came to mind as the Speaker gazed back in return. Gerd nodded and then opened his mouth, revealing rows of frighteningly sharp teeth. Hesitantly, she placed her hand on the dog's jaw and flinched as the mouth gently closed on it. 'Thank God they didn't call him Fenris,' Regina thought as the hound led her away.

Skin tingled as she stepped past a series of enchantments that prevented scrying or teleportation spells from working within their confines. Gerd padded quietly at her side. A section of wall retracted into floor and ceiling, letting artificial sunlight flood the passage. Holographic projectors gave the cell an appearance of a farm yard. Another hound sat on its haunches in each corner of the room while a rooster with multi-colored feathers stood in the center of the chamber. Gerd halted a few paces from the fowl that continued to scratch at the false ground, seemingly oblivious to their arrival.

"You asked to speak with me," Regina said in a neutral tone.

The rooster's head swiveled back and forth as one eye and then another gazed at her. "I want out of here bounty hunter," an irate voice demanded.

"Whatever for?" she asked while casually scanning the surroundings. "There's room to move about and regular meals."

"Lots of sun and," she breathed in deeply, "plenty of fresh air. I would think this far preferable to a basilisk's belly."

"Damn it!" the bird cursed. "How dare you humiliate me like this! I deserve better!"

Regina bit back her retort. Saseru Enteofushia had twice now endangered the world in bids to seize power. By rights, he should have been tossed into the Valley of Death; however, his knowledge of Kosmos Entelechia made him valuable. She would endure these tantrums in hopes of gleaning a little more information. "I have more important things to do with my time than listen to a malcontent's grumblings," she said. "Let me know when you have something else to say."

"No! Wait!" Saseru squawked. The one time King of Ostia glared daggers at her, but spoke in a calmer voice. "I have information for you, but I want to be changed back and these curs removed."

Nervously, he eyed his guards as Regina chuckled to herself. Transforming Saseru into a rooster was former Councilor's Ran suggestion while the Cu Sith was Hogorsha's idea. Pissing off his allies may have been the only thing the man was good at. "That would depend on the information you have to barter."

"Would the identity of Total World's highest operative on the Mage Council do?" he asked.

"I thought that was Ran."

"So he believed," Saseru scornfully replied. "But he was a mere pawn. Ran was to control the military while the true operative would suddenly return and, oh so reluctantly, take charge of the situation on the behalf of the Council."

Understanding hit her like the proverbial ton of bricks. "You can't be serious," Regina said.

"Think woman," the rooster told her. "Who would ever suspect such an unassuming, meticulous pain in the ass like Freidrich Jurgen?"

Unable to hide her astonishment, Regina mutely stared as Saseru derisively laughed. "You and Mifune would have been aboard that airship when it blew up over the harbor while Jurgen's ship had a conveniently timed malfunction that forced his premature return to the city. I'll bet you never even thought to check out his story."

"You can prove this?"

"All of the proof is contained in a computer file."

"We checked out your servers," Regina stated. "All the files had been wiped clean."

"I would be a fool not have them backed up," he remarked. "Do we have a deal bounty hunter?"

"Deal," she agreed. "Providing you can deliver."

"The data is loaded on a server in the Noctis Labyrinthus," the man told her. "However, it is guarded by the strongest security system the fusion of magic and technology can create."

"We'll see about that," Regina responded as she thought about v-Chao's capabilities. "What am I searching for?"

"The file you want is labeled 'Dynamis'."

(-)

**Hellas Imperial Palace, Mundus Magicus **

As Theodora set another document aside, she paused to lean back into the padded chair. Why couldn't her life be one, never-ending pageant like that fictional Rinaldi girl's? Tedious paperwork, boring council meetings, infuriating negotiations, briefings, treaties; how she longed for the days of smashing Total World alongside the Ala Rubra. Fearsome dungeons, dramatic rescues, narrow escapes, apocalyptic battles, unrivaled freedom, those were the days; only now they were tantalizing distractions on the edges of her memory.

"Is everything well Your Highness?" a small, hooded figure asked, no doubt worried at her mistress' expression.

"I'm fine," Theodora answered, unsure which of the twins she was addressing at the moment. "I just need a short break from this mountain of papers."

"Would you like some tea?" her diminutive body guard asked.

"Maybe in a while," the princess replied. To her annoyance, the intercom buzzed, announcing another disruption. "What is it?"

"Lady Rosa for you on line 2 Your Highness," the receptionist answered. "Do you wish to take the call?"

An unfeigned smile graced royal lips as she enthusiastically answered, "Yes!"

After a short pause, Theodora continued, "Cousin Lourdes! How are you?"

An agitated voice swiftly responded. "Cocone's being recalled," the distant speaker said. "Is my daughter in some sort of trouble? Has the project been cancelled?"

"Wh-a-a-t?" the Third Princess of the Empire replied in disbelief. "When did this happen?"

"I received the notice this morning," the distraught mother answered. "I'm looking at it right now. It has the imperial seal … what's going on?"

What was going on indeed? The Empire's immigration project had begun three years ago as a test to discover if its citizens could successfully acclimate to the lower levels of magic energy in the Mundus Vetus. Short ventures had been possible, but no one knew what the long term effects on the Mundus Magicus's native inhabitants would be. Test subjects had been selected across as broad a spectrum of the population as possible, representing differing races, genders, ages, social classes and levels of magical ability. Subjects had even been surgically altered to remove any trace of their other world origins.

"I'm worried cousin," the caller said. "Has Cocone done something wrong?"

Theo had been about to reassure her cousin that the child wasn't in any sort of trouble and then hesitated. Several, disturbing rumors had been floating around the court in the wake of the narrowly averted calamity at Ostia. Many members of the government, herself included, had been impressed by young Springfield's accomplishments while many more were frightened by the mage's potential.

The Great War may have been instigated by Kosmos Entelechia, but the roots of the conflict between the Mundus Magicus' original inhabitants and the Old World immigrants remained primed to explode in murderous fury once more. Both governments had explored various avenues to utilize Negi's power and new found popularity for their purposes, much as they had sought to use the boy's father before him. Lands, business partnerships, titles had all been discussed and one councilor had been bold enough to suggest the youthful mage be given Ostia to rule and serve as a buffer state against Megalo-Messembria. Needless to say, that idea died a swift and inglorious death. Another had introduced the possibility of a formal alliance by …

"I don't think she's in any trouble Lourdes," Theodora tried to assure the concerned mother and promised to get to the bottom of the situation. Her dusky complexion had gone pale as the princess stared at its reflection in the shiny surface of the desk. "They couldn't possibly mean to go through with that," she muttered in denial.

(-)

**Century Corp Headquarters, Mundus Magicus**

Lines showed the steady rise and fall of the Zephillia network's usage on her screen. Shrinking the window to the upper right corner of her monitor, the administrator began reviewing that morning's logs for any out of the ordinary events. Like their Old World counterparts, network administrators in the Mundus Magicus had to remain vigilant against threats posed by those who would compromise any computer system.

In the background were the myriad of noises common to offices in either world: typing, the opening and closing of file cabinets, chatter of co-workers and ever present hum of the copier. "Oh crap!" came from the next cubicle across from hers, followed by a few other invectives.

Stepping across the narrow space separating the cell-like work areas, she stood behind the cursing man. "What's the problem Artiolus?"

The administrator pointed to the graph showing on his display. "Look at this Kiara. Something's chewing up the Noctis Labyrinthus network's bandwidth," he complained as another tall spike appeared. "And their SAN is filling up."

"Hackers?"

"Maybe," he answered. "But I think it's originating inside the enclave."

"Any idea which system?"

"Nope," the man glumly replied. "Could you lend me a hand tracking it down?"

"That could be an all night job," Kiara said with a frown.

"It's getting bad enough that they won't be able to use the network soon," the harried administrator explained. "You help me identify the source and I'll buy you dinner at the most expensive restaurant in Zephillia."

An eyebrow arched in response. "Is this a ploy to get me to go out with you?"

"Yes, you've seen right through my little scheme," he deadpanned. "I intentionally created havoc on our network to angle for a date."

"You're so obvious," she said with a grin. "Okay, it's a deal."

Relief flooded his face as Artiola replied, "Thanks."

"No problem," she responded. "That's why they pay us the big drachma."

(-)

**Longchamp Mountains, Mundus Magicus**

A world of glistening white met his gaze as Nagi lifted back the tent flap and peered at the snow covered landscape. Unsettled by an unexpected bout of homesickness, the mage continued to stare until the spell was broken by a "Is the young master well?"

Behind him, Nagi could hear the approach of the little, bearded man who had been hired as a guide to the Kalapa Monastery. "I still have a stock of those pills if the young master is feeling ill," the merchant offered.

Pills made from highly questionable ingredients with an equally dubious guarantee of effectiveness. "I'm fine Vamana," Nagi answered as Sangdong, tightly bundled against the cold, crested a slight rise on her return to their camp. She was the sister of a political prisoner back in her homeland, and had fled to relative safety of the Magic World to escape arrest. The girl was also the president of the Lhasa chapter of his son's fan club, though he wouldn't hold that against her.

"Ahhhh, the young mistress has returned," Vamana observed over his shoulder. "She is most radiant looking this morning."

"Yeah, radiant," Nagi agreed, noting the contrast of dark hair and bronzed skin against the white fur lining of her hood.

"I do not mean to pry, but is the young mistress perhaps your girl friend?" the guide asked.

"Girl friend?" he asked in shock. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Ah, no reason young master," the short man answered and then pursed lips together for a moment. "I do happen to have several items for sale that could help such a relationship along … or even start one."

Nagi's glare was all the answer needed as the gleam in Vamana's eye dimed. "I see now is not an opportune time for such a discussion," the unhappy merchant declared. "Would you mind retrieving my prayer wheels so we can finish packing?"

"Good morning Takeshi-san," the girl happy called out as he emerged from the tent. Still disguised as Eishun's youthful sword bearer, Nagi returned her greeting and then began to pull the merchant's prayer wheels from the snow bank their stakes had been thrust into.

"I thought these had to be turned by hand," he commented.

"Only certain types," Sangdong replied. "Prayer wheels turned by wind or water have been accepted for many years. And the Dalai Lama has stated that even digitized prayer wheels are just as effective."

The girl gave a conspiratorial look and lowered her voice as she continued. "I even had a, um friend, who heard that a spinning hard drive worked like a wheel. Before finals, she saved hundreds of mantras on her computer and left it on all night. She got the highest marks for the entire grade."

"So that was my problem in school," Nagi chuckled. "Do you think you're, um friend, could hook me up sometime?'

"It's not outside the realm of possibility," the girl answered.

They had finished packing when Vamana struck their tent and began rolling it into a tight tube that would be carried slung around the little man's shoulder. Knowing the incredible things magic could do didn't make the fact that all of the merchant's stock as well as their food and supplies were contained within a tube of black felt. "Shall we be off?" the little man asked.

Their first few days had been spent in gathering supplies for the journey. Nagi had complained about the needless expense. "Why not fly there?" he had asked.

"One does not fly to Kalapa young master," Vamana responded. "Clouds obscure the mountains so that navigation is impossible. Only by foot may the monastery be reached."

Privately, he had grave doubts about the merchant's claim. "Seems like a lot of unnecessary effort."

"Ah young master," the grinning dwarf replied. "It is through seeking that we find what we are looking for."

A sarcastic retort rose but the mage bit it back, knowing it would have been a waste of breath to voice it. They reached the Zanskar pass in the late morning and after a short rest, began a steep descent. Most people thought of the mountains of Shangri La as inhospitable, consisting of nothing but lofty peaks and ice bound valleys. While there were many of those, several valleys descended below the zone of perpetual cold and had climates approaching tropical.

"This is the Golden Valley," Vamana announced as they reached the floor nearly 4000 meters below the pass. Having shed their heavy boots and parkas hours ago, the travelers gaped at the lush vegetation about them. Trees bearing yellow, softball-sized fruit, towering ferns and a riot of brilliantly colored flowers greeted them. A large moth, its sable wings marked with white swirls, flitted through the fragrant air.

"How beautiful," Sangdong exclaimed.

"Beautiful yes," Vamana agreed. "But deadly too young mistress."

"Take that moth for example," the little man said and then pointed to an overhanging limb. "Do you see the chameleon lying upon that branch?"

Following the guide's pointing finger, Nagi could barely make out the outlines of the camouflaged creature.

"Although that moth would make a tasty meal, the chameleon avoids it. The sable moth produces a toxin that makes it taste foul to other creatures and its markings are a warning to those who would otherwise eat it," the little man informed them, before pointing at the surrounding trees. "And those are called Upas."

"Upas?" Nagi asked. "Aren't those also known as Poison Arrow Trees?"

"Indeed they are young master," Vamana answered while bobbing his head up and down in agreement. "The tree's sap is deadly in even small amounts and has been used for centuries to coat arrows and darts."

Their guide selected a clearing not far from a pool that sparkled green-blue in the daylight. Sangdong looked longingly in the water's direction as the girl tugged at the perspiration soaked tunic clinging to her skin. "What I would give for bath right now," a wistful voice said.

"Why not take one then?" he suggested. "The camp is set up."

"Could you watch me?" she replied. Nagi's raised eyebrow caused her cheeks to flush in response.

"I mean could you watch over me." Word stumbled from the flustered teen's mouth. "Be nearby in case I need some help."

Nagi moved a short distance away and sat with his back to the flustered girl. He heard a splash a moment later, quickly followed by, "Brrr! That's cold!"

Lips cocked into a grin. "Just a thought," he said, "But wouldn't it stand to reason that any water down here probably melted off those glaciers?"

Something heavy smacked the water's surface and an icy spray drenched his back. Twisting around, Nagi saw two arms disappear as the girl ducked below the surface. The tramp of feet for the direction of their camp announced Vamana's arrival. "I heard a noise young master," the merchant cried.

"No problem," Nagi responded. "We're just joking around."

"I see," the little man replied and then glanced uneasily about. "And where is the young mistress?"

"She's taking a bath," Nagi said as he indicated the pool and cast off clothing.

"That might be an unwise decision," a hesitant voice remarked. "I never know what has moved into the valley in between trips."

Nagi's staff expanded as he raced towards the pool's edge and dove in. Vamana swept a patch of ground clear of debris and sat cross legged, facing the water's now calm surface. In a deep, sonorous voice he began to recite. "Thus have I heard. Upon a time Buddha sojourned in Anathapindika's Park by Shravasti with a great company of bhikshus …"

"… if on the one hand a good man or a good woman sacrifices as many lives as the sand-grains of the Ganges, and on the other hand anyone receives and retains even only four lines of this Discourse, and teaches and explains them to others, the merit of the latter will be the greater."

Water shot up from the pool like a geyser as Nagi ascended into the air. In the crock of the mage's right arm lay a naked Sangdong while his left hand gripped the lightning bolt shaped staff. The man's clothes had been rent in several places and streaks of blood were visible on his arms, legs and face. Hovering 10 meters the surface, the young man waited. A serpent, it's green and gold scales glistening, rose out of the water in pursuit of the two humans. The monstrous creature's mouth opened wide, revealing rows of teeth. Thrusting the jagged top of his staff downward, Nagi dropped from the sky.

The staff disappeared down the serpent's gullet and a crackle of electricity filled the air. Energy flared, eclipsing all with its brilliance, as a great boom shook the valley. When sight returned, the air reeked of burnt flesh as the charred remains of the monstrous snake sank back into the watery depths. Sangdong's arms were clamped tightly about Nagi as he landed them on firm ground and then wobbled as the world unexpectedly tilted beneath his feet.

"Takeshi," the girl cried as he slumped in her arms. "Vamana! What's wrong with him?"

"I did warn him that the path to Kalapa was guarded," the little man answered as consciousness slid into the shadows. "We best get the young master to the tent."

(-)

They had fought and suffered and bled, and for what? Their enemy was neutralized but not defeated. The little princess was snatched from the jaws of death but she was far from safe. The exiles were spirited to the Mundus Vetus and now gathered dust in a darkened basement. The destruction of a world was delayed, not eliminated; and the world believed otherwise. The fame, the adulation, the heartfelt thanks were all based on lies. Nagi and the Ala Rubra achieved much, but the ultimate victory had slipped through their fingers like so many grains of sand.

A spear of bitterness pierced the man's heart as his former master's voice spoke. "It is impossible for a hero of war to shape the future." Kozimos' words echoed like thunder rolling across a prairie. "In the end you were unable to change anything."

In every direction lay naught but a powdery, grey ash, the residue of ruined dreams and failed expectations. Stirring it with his foot uncovered a multitude of dry and brittle bones; those of the people he had failed to protect. Nagi could have wept. "Some hero I turned out to be."

"But what defines a hero?" another voice asked.

Whirling about Nagi found himself no longer alone on the desolate plain. A stranger stood regarding him with an expression of mild curiosity. The newcomer's long, white hair and beard was reminiscent of Meldiana's Grand Magus, but the other man exuded as sense of candor and approachability wholly lacking in Master Dilane. "Who are you?" the Thousand Master demanded.

"Like you a fellow traveler on the path to enlightenment," the bearded stranger answered.

"Enlightenment? Ha!" he scornfully laughed. "I've never cared for that gibberish."

"Perhaps not," the other replied, "but you've yet to answer my question. What defines a hero?"

Nagi stared back at the aged stranger as a touch of anger colored the younger man's face. "Go mind you own business!" was his first response, but it was left unvoiced.

"A hero accomplishes what he sets out to do," Nagi explained. "He sees things through to the end, not leaving uncompleted tasks or messes for others to clean up after. He never gives up, never stops until he's won."

"So winning determines what is heroic and what is not?" the other asked.

"Of course it doesn't!" he heatedly replied. "It's not about winning! It's about not giving up!"

"A hero would remain focused on the goal ahead," Nagi continued. "He'd keep moving forward and would never accept less than victory."

"Have you given up then?" the question was asked. "Have you stopped moving forward?"

"I …" Nagi couldn't answer from the barrage of emotions that swept through him. After bringing Al's stasis held body to Mahora, he had been informed that Anna had been slain and her remains already returned to Ariadne. Visiting his sister-in-law's grave in the hills near Kyoto, the Thousand Master had broken down in despair. Many, like Shizuna, tried to help and he had shamelessly exploited them. He could barely function on his own and if it wasn't for the young woman's care, Nagi would never have survived those dreadful months. Realizing that she was becoming a crutch, he fled to the Magic World where the mage turned to drink instead. Yet even through the alcoholic haze of the following years, there were lucid moments when the Thousand Master pushed the whiskey sodden drifter he had become aside.

Even sunk to the depths he had, Nagi had roused himself to save his son and niece when demons attacked their village. His intervention had likely saved the princess' life at Tengboche and definitely saved Negi's squinty-eyed ministra at Old Ostia. And the recent battle at Kyoto proved that the spirit was not yet dead. "Maybe not … completely."

"Then why do you dwell in this place," the stranger indicated the desolate plain with a sweep of his arm, "when you want to move forward?"

A moist cloth mopped his brow as Nagi regained consciousness. He grabbed hold of the ministering hand, provoking a gasp of surprise followed by "Takeshi-san?"

"Did anyone get the license of the lorry that ran me over?"

"What time is it?" his parched mouth croaked. From outside the tent he could hear the sound of Vamana's chanting accompanied by the spinning of a prayer wheel.

"About six hours after you rescued me," the girl answered. "Can you sit up to take a drink?"

The water felt cool as he gulped down one cup and then a second. "Take the next in sips," Sangdong ordered as she refilled the metal cup.

"I was worried when you fainted," she confessed. "Vamana-san said the wounds weren't poisonous, but …"

"It will take more than a big snake to keep us from reaching Kalapa," he promised.

The chanting stopped and the tent flap was thrust aside. The merchant's bulk, outlined of moonlight, filled the entry. "I thought I heard voices," their guide remarked. "How is the young master feeling?"

"The young master feels," Nagi replied as the corners of his mouth curled upwards, "like it's time to move forward again."

(-)

**A/N: Chapter title and heading are from the poem "The Upas Tree" by Alexander Pushkin. **

**Gerd and the other hounds guarding King Enteofushia are based on the North Hounds created by Leigh Brackett in "The Hounds of Skaith", part of her series featuring Eric John Stark. **

**SAN is short for Storage Area Network. If you've ever been made to delete masses of emails before Outlook would let you send or receive anymore, then you know how important storage is.**

**Prayer wheels are a cylinder mounted on a spindle, inscribed with mantras or sacred symbols. They are meant to be turned and this action will have the same effects as reciting the prayer would have.**

**Vamana is reciting the Diamond Sutra (thank you Greve for suggesting it) as he waits for Nagi to reappear. The sutra is one of the shortest written and can be read in its entirety in about 40 minutes. And no Makuhari, I see the little merchant as having blue skin rather than green. **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, but so much is going on with my life at the moment that there is little time left for writing. Hopefully things will settle down soon. The scene with Ako was suggested by MakuhariFan-01. Many thanks for your help.**

**Negima and its characters are owned by Ken Akamatsu. Phillip Markham, Marcato Rallentando and others are my OCs.**

**The following conventions are used: **"words", 'thoughts', _lyrics _and **"spells". **

**Monday Morning**

**Monday, Monday, can't trust that day**– John Phillips

**Mahora, Japan**

White brows knit together as Mahora's wizened headmaster closely scrutinized their guest's credentials. Though hardly unprecedented, the sudden appearance of a dignitary from the Hellas Empire threw the school's administration into a frenzy of activity. Not that the boy lounging in the padded chair seemed to care.

Konoka studied the young noble from the Mundus Magicus. Based on appearance, he was near her age; however, many Magic World inhabitants looked far younger than they were. With his blonde hair and fair skin, the emissary could have passed for a foreign student attending one of Mahora's many schools.

'Could be an illusion,' the girl thought, recalling the many times she or one of her classmates disguised themselves as another race during last summer's adventure. Magic could turn a bestial visage human as effortlessly as the reverse.

"Your credentials are in order Marquis Rallentando," her grandfather finally declared. "Please pardon our caution, but it is rare for Her Imperial Majesty to send a peer of the Empire."

"I understand Master Konoe," the boy replied. "Might I see Her Highness now?"

"Regretfully the princess is engaged at the moment," the headmaster answered. "However, my granddaughter will conduct you to her quarters."

"Excellent," the nobleman responded as he swiftly stood.

"Does your Excellency have a, hrmm, girlfriend?" the elder Konoe unexpectedly asked, provoking a grimace from Konoka.

"No," the bewildered boy answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Just an old man's, heh, curiosity," the headmaster replied. The old man's face wore a grin that annoyed her far more than the question had.

After schooling her expression back into a smile, Konoka held the door open for her charge. "Shall we go your Excellency?"

Walking next to her, the marquis seemed poised as if anticipating an enemy to strike at any second. It reminded the teen a little of her bodyguard's wariness. However, her companion's demeanor struck Konoka as hopeful rather than on guard. 'Perhaps more like Mana-san instead of Se-chan,' she decided.

Occupied with her own thoughts, Konoka was surprised when the marquis spoke to her. "You are the Princess's friend," Lord Rallentando said, though she couldn't tell if it was a statement or a question.

"Yes I am."

"What is the princess like?"

What was the princess like? The question spun round and round as several answers were considered and then swiftly discarded. Though she cherished the other girl's friendship, Konoka harbored few illusions about Asuna. A bundle of contradictions sprang to mind. Clueless yet gifted with clarity of purpose that many would envy. By turns the red-head would rage as furious as a hurricane and then show the gentleness of a breeze. "Her Highness is quite unlike anyone else I know," the teen cautiously answered. "It is true that she is not a scholarly sort; the princess is more in the mold of an epic hero, one who is unafraid to step forth when the circumstances require action."

"A most admirable quality," the young noble said, nodding his head in agreement with his own assessment.

"I look forward to meeting Her Highness," he continued, speaking almost as if thinking aloud. "And Master Springfield as well."

Once they reached the dormitory, Konoka took one of the outer stairwells so as not to bring a boy through the main lobby. Though following the headmaster's orders, she reasoned that the fewer questions asked the better. Finding the door to her room unlocked, she was about to congratulate herself when an outraged voice yelled, "What is that boy doing here?"

Konoka quickly shoved the startled noble into her room and slammed the door shut before turning to find the class 1B rep storming towards her. Mikami-san's face nearly matched the shade of the girl's fiery, red hair. "What stunt are you trying to pull?" the other girl demanded while more students stumbled into the hall as if in response to a magical summons.

(-)

Two figures could be seen jogging side by side in the pre-dawn light, a girl carrying a satchel slung over one shoulder and an older man whose grey shirt was wet with perspiration. Tiny bells tied to the girl's twin pony tails jingled as feet pounded the sidewalk. Grabbing a rolled up newspaper from the bag, she flung it onto a front porch with practiced ease.

"That's it then sensei," Asuna announced as she slowed the pace a bit for her wheezing companion's benefit.

"Do you normally go this fast," her homeroom teacher asked, "or did Kotaro-san put you up to this?"

"I went a little faster this morning because I wanted extra time for breakfast," she answered. "The Bao Zi should be opening today."

"That's Satsuki-san's business isn't it?" Phillip asked. "I'll have to be sure to stop by."

Glancing at her teacher, Asuna thought the man appeared more relaxed than he'd been since the class trip. There were times when sensei had reminded her of a rubber band stretched to the point of snapping. "You seem to be in a better mood today," the teen mentioned in a casual tone.

"Do I?"

"Yeah," she answered. "Did you try anything different recently?"

"No. Nothing in particular," Phillip told her. "Why do you ask?"

Having watched Setsuna suffer from being stressed out, Asuna had hoped to find a release for her friend. Perhaps breakfast at the Bao Zi would help. She had been surprised when the swordsman readily accepted her suggestion. 'I hope Setsuna is getting ready.'

"No real reason," she replied to her teacher's question. "So why did you decide to jog with me instead of Kotaro-kun this morning."

"To be truthful," he answered, "I wanted to discuss your recent test scores before class."

The student's stomach sank at those words. "That bad huh?"

"Let's say that I would strongly recommend additional study outside of regular class hours," her teacher remarked. "Aren't there evening and weekend classes?"

"With all that's going on," she sighed, "how am I going to find time for cram school?"

Phillip stopped and the man's mouth twisted into a frown. "I know you have more pressing issues Asuna-san," he said, "but what are you going to do if you fail?"

She looked away, unwilling to meet the teacher's gaze. What would she do? Asuna had no home or family to go back to. Takahata would never see her as anything more than the little girl he helped raise. She could get a low paying job with limited chances for advancement, but what kind of future was that? And how would Negi take the news?

'Negi accepts me for who I am,' she steadfastly maintained, but an image of the young mage's disappointed expression sprang instantly to mind. As infuriating as the little squirt could be, the last thing Asuna wanted was to be its author.

"I don't know," she reluctantly admitted.

"I want to try something a little different for our after school study session," Phillip said. "Bring along a change of clothes and some shoes suitable for walking."

All the way back to the dormitory, Asuna wondered what sensei's "something a little different" was. The after school sessions were bad enough, the teen couldn't afford to lose any more training time.

As she opened the stairwell door to her floor, Asuna heard an irate shout from the 1B iincho. "I don't care if you are the headmaster's granddaughter," Mikami-san screamed at Konoka while Ayaka tried to interpose herself between them.

"I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding," the blonde girl said dismissively as curious faces poked out of rooms and around hallway corners. "I'll take care of it."

"Like you took care of the basement wall?" Ayaka's red-headed counterpart asked.

Asuna quickly strode to the storm's center. "What's going on class rep?"

"Mikami-san claims Konoka here was smuggling a boy into your room," Ayaka answered.

"Claim!" the other class president yelled. "I saw her push him inside."

"Just like you did that dragon?" Yuna chimed in, drawing several snickers in response.

"Keep out of this Akashi-san!" the shrill voice responded. "I know what I saw!"

"And I saw …" the girl continued but was interrupted by a shout from inside the dorm room.

"**Jakuzankusen!**"

Asuna jerked Konoka out of the way as the door flew off its hinges, smashed into the opposite wall and was immediately followed by a dark shape. A pale-skinned boy, his blonde hair splayed out on the carpet, gazed upwards as Mikami-san ran down the hall screaming "Not again!"

Dripping water on the carpet, a naked Setsuna stomped into the open doorway with an equally bare blade clenched in her fists. The shinmei-ryu's glowering visage reminded her of a tidal wave rushing towards the shore. "Who are you?" Asuna demanded of the prostrate stranger.

"Those eyes!" the boy exclaimed in shock as he gazed at her face. "You are of House Teotanasia!"

Her very breath froze as the stranger slowly rose to his knees. "Your Highness," he greeted her as if kneeling on a carpet after crashing through a door was the most natural thing in the world. "I bear you a message from Her Imperial Majesty."

An avalanche of voices fell upon her as numbness tightly gripped the bell-wearing teen. "It is a boy." "Did he say he was from the Imperial court?" "Message … eyes … Teotanasia."

"Maybe we showed go inside," Konoka suggested and then gazed at her bodyguard, still damp from a shower. "Er, could we use your room iincho-san."

Dazed, Asuna let herself be led to Ayaka's room. Ensconced on the couch, she listened, barely comprehending the emissary's words. One of Sakurako's cats, the white one, jumped into her lap and her hand began to mechanically stroke its silky fur.

"Is Her Highness feeling well?" the boy's concerned voice asked before he turned to Konoka. "Should we summon a healer?"

"I am a healer," the chocolate-haired girl assured.

"Now exactly who are you and what's with this 'Your Highness business?" Ayaka demanded.

"I am the Marquis Rallentando," the haughty response came. "And my 'business' is with the princess, not some uppity peasant."

"Who are you calling a peasant you third-rate reject from a Shakespearian play?" the class rep shot back. "I'll have you know that my father is the owner of Yukihiro Worldwide!"

"Have care of that wagging tongue of yours," thundered back a warning. "I am not to be scolded by a mere merchant's daughter."

"Enough!" Everyone jumped as Konoka's silver mallet slammed onto the table adding emphasis to the girl's command.

"This bickering speaks well of neither of your families," the meek-seeming girl pronounced before sitting down next to her friend. "Asuna, are you alright?"

Her lips formed in response, but the words came slowly. "I'm … okay. Just … a little … shocked … by this."

"Your Highness," the marquis started but was warned to silence by Konoka's glare.

Ayaka sat down on the opposite side of the couch. "Do you want to be alone for awhile?" the class rep asked.

A thousand questions were reflected in the other girl's face, but Asuna didn't doubt the offer's sincerity. "I'm fine," she claimed and then added a "No really" in reply to the class rep's skeptical expression

Asuna glanced at the arrogant nobleman. "What message do you bear from the Empress?"

A momentary scowl crossed the boy's face to be replaced by a look a resignation. "If you are indeed the Princess Asuna Teotanasia, I am to deliver this scroll from Her Imperial Majesty," he answered while producing a sealed scroll from underneath his coat.

A wild thought sprang up as she eyed the rolled up parchment. She could claim to not be the princess. "I'm sorry but you have the wrong Asuna," she would say and have an end to it. "I'm just a normal student."

While gazing down at Homura after the pyromancer had nearly killed Yuna, Asuna had been ready to slice the unconscious mage into tiny pieces, but a voice inside her head stopped her. Once again that voice spoke. "You were never a normal student," it mercilessly reminded her. "Send the pompous windbag away, but that won't change who you are."

"I am the princess," she reluctantly admitted as an equally reluctant hand reached out. Fingers brushed against the rough surface before grasping the slender cylinder as if it was a poisonous creature. Trembling, she broke the seal and unfurled the scroll. Incomprehensible characters written in a graceful script stared back at her.

"What is this written in?" an anxious princess asked.

"It looks like Greek," Ayaka remarked.

"It might as well be Martian," she disgustedly replied.

"It is Martian," Konoka added under her breath.

"Greek … Martian," Asuna cried in frustration, "I can't read it!"

"Maybe we could get Negi-kun to translate it," her roommate suggested.

"My Lord Rallentando," Ayaka said as the class rep fixed an officious smile on the boy. "Could you please translate this document for Her Highness?"

"If I might?" the boy requested as he gingerly took the parchment. "To Her Royal Highness, Princess Asuna Teotanasia, Heir of House Teotanasia, Earl of Argyre …"

"Um, could we skip the formal stuff and get to the message?" Asuna asked, earning another quick scowl from the marquis.

"It being Our intention to confirm the Princess Asuna in all of her holdings within the Empire of Hellas," he continued, "We require the Princess Asuna to present herself before Our court no later than Mid-Summer's Day and to regularly attend court in accordance with the most ancient traditions of the Empire."

"Confirm?" Asuna confusedly asked. "What does that mean?"

"It means the Empire of Hellas is going to recognize your title," Konoka excitedly answered. "That clears a major obstacle to receiving your inheritance."

"What about this attend court bit?"

"How often does the imperial court meet your Excellency?" Ayaka asked.

"Annually," the noble answered. "It starts on Mid-Summer's Day and continues for several weeks."

"I can't do that," Asuna declared. "I'll miss mid-terms."

"Wait a minute," she said while considering the situation further. "Is that a bad thing?"

Several eyes rolled at her comment and a respectful knock interrupted the conversation. "Who is it?" Ayaka asked.

The door opened and Setsuna stuck her head into the room. "May I enter?"

After glaring at the marquis, the now clothed swordswoman took up her position at the end of the couch nearest Konoka.

"Mid-Summer's Day doesn't give you much time," Ayaka remarked. "Are you to take the Princess's reply back your Excellency?"

"Reply?" the marquis responded. "The princess's compliance is assumed. I am here to escort Her Highness and Her consort Master Springfield …"

"Consort!" the class rep cried in dismay before glaring at Asuna. "Just what did you two do last summer?"

With her jaw jutting defiantly out, Asuna glared back. "I have no idea what you two are nattering about."

Trying to head off another quarrel, Konoka quickly interrupted the two classmates. "I'm sure this is just a mistake," the girl said before addressing the marquis. "Asuna and Negi-kun are only provisional partners your Excellency."

A puzzled expression appeared on the young noble's face as all eyes turned to him. "Well … the bonds of a Magister and Ministra are considered just as valid …," the marquis floundered as Ayaka's mouth hung open while understanding dawned on Asuna's face. "… especially in the absence of an actual marriage …"

"You mean that little twerp and I are considered married?" the horror-struck princess gasped.

"What?" Ayaka suddenly cried. "Negi-sensei and Asuna are …?"

The class rep paused for a moment and then Ayaka's eyes turned steely. "I'm coming along too?"

"What do you mean you're coming too?" Asuna countered. "I didn't hear him invite you."

"Your Excellency." The class rep turned to the utterly confounded boy. "Am I correct in assuming that the Princess is expected to bring her own staff along?"

"Well of course …"

"That settles it then," the blonde girl triumphantly gloated. "I'm your Chief of Protocol."

"Hang on sister! Chief of what?"

(-)

Walking into his apartment, Phillip began to strip off the sweat soaked tee–shirt when he noticed Negi's ermine friend applying a stroke to a sheet of parchment. The American glanced quickly about and asked, "Where's Negi?"

"In his room getting dressed," came the answer.

"Shouldn't you be keeping that Doki Doki list away from him?" he asked.

"Actually," whiskers twitched as the furry statistician looked up, "this one is for you."

"Say what?"

"It needed updating after this weekend," the ermine explained. "You might find it instructive to look over."

"And you might find it instructive," the man growled, "if I take that brush and stick it …"

"Suit yourself," Chamo interrupted before the threat could be completed. "But don't say you weren't warned."

"Warned?" Phillip scoffed. "Warned about what?"

"Come take a look."

Cautiously the teacher glanced down at the neatly ordered rows of Japanese characters.

"It follows the class list order," the ermine told him. "The number on the far end is an aggregate score."

"So Modoka has the highest score," Phillip commented after scanning the list. "I could have guessed that."

"But look who's second."

Phillip followed the white-furred paw up to an aggregate score slightly lower than his confessed admirers'. A queasy sensation started in the pit of his stomach and threatened to spread outward. "You're pulling my leg."

"That's only the start," Chamo told him. "Take a gander at the individual categories."

Eyes tracked to the left, only to stop a few columns over. "Isn't that the …" he started to ask.

"I told you Big Brother's score wasn't that much higher."

"But … but," the middle-aged man sputtered. "Surely you're not suggesting …"

Being the helpful sort, the ermine promptly supplied an answer. "What I'm suggesting is that you might be grabbed by other than the throat if you pop into her shower."

Conversation ground to a halt as Negi emerged from the bedroom. "Good morning Phillip-san," the boy cheerfully greeted his roommate. "What's this about showers?"

"Albert and I were just discussing my misadventure in Buenos Ares," Phillip lied as he snatched the parchment from the table and hastily rolled it up.

"I'm really sorry about that," the youngster apologized.

"Don't sweat it," he responded. "I survived the ordeal and we got some information out of it."

"Some help," Chamo remarked with a glum tone. "We know Total World wants to get rid of injustice by destroying the Mundus Magicus."

"But that is helpful," Phillip countered. "You can't reason with a madman bent on world destruction, but you can with a crusader trying to make a better world."

(-)

**Mahora Elementary School**

After sliding the stall door shut, Haruki unfastened his trousers before squatting over the shallow trough set into the floor. Briefly, the boy wondered why the school couldn't install something that would allow students to sit but quickly moved onto other grumblings. Mihai had made him look like a fool in front of Yuki and their classmates. And his parents had scolded him over ruining a perfectly good pair of shoes. How could he explain that they needed to be chiseled out of the ground?

The boy had realized during last year's festival that Yuki was very special to him. They had admitted that much to each other after chasing down his classmate's errant hat. Even when they had argued, Haruki winced at the memory of the girl's iron fist of fury attack she'd unleashed on him after being hit by the robot's strip beam, the two had always made up afterwards. However, now he had a rival for her attention and was losing badly to the foreign boy.

The door to the bathroom opened and closed as another student entered. A single set of footsteps echoed in the enclosed space and then stopped nearly in front of his stall. "Hello other me," Mihai said in what passed for the Romanian's cheerful tone.

"I told you to call me Fate." Haruki froze as the strange boy spoke in a deeper voice. "How did the powder work?"

"I fed it to a bear cub and it induced a coma almost instantly," the cheerful voice answered.

"Why not that girl you were with?" the deeper voice asked, causing Haruki to shudder.

"Had she been found, it might have tipped others off to what you're planning," Mihai casually answered. "As it was, the healer girl happened along and was able to revive the cub."

"Unfortunate," came the reply. "But not completely unexpected."

The one who called himself Fate paused before moving on to another subject. "I have another task for you," the other said. "I want you to make contact with one of Professor Springfield's former students, a girl named Izumi Ako."

'Izumi-san?' Haruki remembered the soft-spoken girl who was an assistant manager for the boys' soccer team. 'What's going on?'

Carefully, the fourth year student pushed the stall door open enough to peek into the washroom. Through the gap, he could see Mihai's profile as if his classmate was facing another person.

"For what purpose?" the white-haired boy asked.

"I have a use for her talents," the callous voice responded.

Haruki tried to slide the door open a little more to view this mysterious, other Mihai when it snagged and rattled. The youngster's heart leapt into his throat as invisible hands shoved the door open and pulled him from his feet. The breath was knocked from the boy as he belly-flopped to the floor. Mihai stood to one side while on the opposite side was an older looking version of the Romanian. Though that one's expression lacked any sort of emotion save for a bored disdain.

"Who are you?" Fate demanded.

Paralyzed with fear, the youngster could only stare back.

"His name is Haruki," Mihai volunteered. "He's in my class."

"He's heard too much," Fate said ominously.

"I'll take care of it."

The washroom floor tiles rippled beneath him as if they had liquefied and Haruki began to sink. "No!" he cried while desperately trying to tread water. "Wait!"

Lower he dropped, as if weights were pulling him down. "Why are you doing this?" the fourth grader asked as his chin fell below the level of the floor. "Who are you?"

Mihai pondered the question for a moment, and just before Haruki's eyes disappeared, the strange boy answered, "I guess I'm a 'nobody'."

(-)

Lost in thought, Ako trudged across the campus grounds. An electric bass and case were slung across the girl's back, and she paused to catch her breath from their weight. A foreign boy, about her age, had shown up in the high school dormitory that morning and claimed to have a message for the Princess Asuna. Rumors had flown fast and thick about Mahora, but her classmates had managed to quell most of them by the end of the school day. Of course no matter how inventive the rumors were, they paled in comparison to the truth.

Asuna was indeed a princess from another world; a world where magic was openly known and embraced. Ako and several of her classmates had ventured their last summer and had saved it from destruction. Well, Negi, Asuna, Konoka and Setsuna did the majority of saving; like the secondary character she was, Ako had cheered from the sidelines. No, that wasn't completely true, she mentally chided herself, but it was close enough. Her involvement had been wholly accidental and Negi and his partners were able to handle everything without her assistance.

In fact, Ako had made it easier for the enemy to accomplish their scheme. Her own pitiful talent for magic had helped make those attending the peace festival more susceptible to a spell that incapacitated most of them on the final day. Her supposed friends had used her, just as the teen suspected she had been used again to get Negi-sensei's help to rescue Shiori-san. And now that her part had been played, she'd fade into the background.

'Just as well,' Ako told herself as she slung the case off her shoulder in order to sit down. Despite Negi-san's arguments, exchanging one prison for another didn't strike the teen as an improvement. Perhaps it would have been for the best if the paper with Shirabe-san's message had been crumpled and tossed away.

A sudden feeling as if she was being watched cause Ako to scan the surrounding area. Other students and faculty members going about their business were all that met the girl's gaze. 'I'm jumping at shadows,' she told herself.

Cautiously, Ako removed the instrument from its case and began to tune it. Finishing with that, the teen dug through her backpack and brought out a headband with what looked to be a small mirror affixed to it. She had taken the music projector as a souvenir and had nearly been arrested by Mage Knights under the Ostian Governor's control. Only the timely intervention of Mister Cabot had kept her from being incarcerated. Thinking about the handsome officer brought a slight smile in response. If only …

"Key of the Twilight," she whispered. Instantly, the magic device projected the notes she began to strum.

_Come with me in the twilight of a summer night for awhile_  
_Tell me of a story never ever told in the past_  
_Take me back to the land_  
_Where my yearnings were born_  
_The key to open the door is in your hand_  
_Now fly me there..._

She had practiced the song only once, but its haunting lyrics brought back memories of a time when Ako had felt confident and like something more than a supporting character.

_Fanatics find their heaven in never ending storming wind_  
_Auguries of destruction be a lullaby for rebirth_  
_Consolations, be there_  
_In my dreamland to come_  
_The key to open the door is in your hand_  
_Now take me there_

Eyes closed, Ako played on, listening to Shirabe's voice repeating the words.

_I believe in fantasies invisible to me_  
_In the land of misery I'm searchin' for the sign_  
_To the door of mystery and dignity_  
_I'm wandering down, and searchin' down the secret sun..._

She did hear a voice singing. Eyes snapped open to find a white-haired child in front of her.

_Come with me in the twilight of a summer night for awhile_  
_Tell me of a story never ever told in the pas_

Almost against her will, the notes continued to pour from the bass to accompany the lad's singing.

_Take me back to the land_  
_Where my yearnings were born_  
_The key to open the door is in your hand_  
_Now take me there_  
_to the land of twilight_

Like one struck dumb, Ako stared at the youngster as the final chord faded. "Who are you?" the bass player breathed. "How did you know that song?"

"My name is Mihai," the child hesitantly answered. "I'm not sure how I know it."

"Maybe I heard it somewhere before," he suggested and then glanced down.

"You're not in trouble Mihai-kun," Ako swiftly assured him. "I was surprised that somebody else knew it."

"Could I ask a favor of you?" the boy said with his face screwed up in an expression that was entirely serious yet irresistibly cute.

"What favor would that be?" Ako asked as she resisted the urge to giggle.

"Could you walk me back to my dormitory?" Mihai answered. "One of my classmates disappeared from school this morning and we were warned not to walk by ourselves."

Ako's smile faded as the new reality of Mahora sunk in. "Sure," she agreed while replacing the bass back into its case. "Which dormitory are you in?"

"The one on Sunny Hill Lane," the youngster answered.

"That's on the way to my dorm," the teen remarked as she hefted the instrument back in place. "Come on."

"Thank you ah …"

"Izumi," she told him. "My name is Izumi."

"Thank you Izumi-san."

(-)

After Negi and Chamo had left for school, Phillip pulled out his cell phone and scrolled through the list of contacts until 'Jacobs, D' was highlighted. "It's been more than a month," the American reminded himself but the sense of apprehension hovering over his shoulder refused to budge. Inhaling deeply, the combat hardened teacher punched the dial button. "She's bound to have cooled off a little," the man muttered.

Several rings later, a woman's voice answered, "Doctor Jacobs here."

'Piece of cake,' the man thought to himself before responding. "Hi Delilah. It's Phil." A harsh CLICK followed by a dial tone echoed in his ear.

"Then again …"

Once more he dialed and waited, only to hear a recorded message. "Hi this is Delilah Jacobs. I can't come to the phone as I'm installing the illudium Q-36 explosive space modulator right now. Please leave your name and number and I'll get back to you … unless you hear an earth-shattering kaboom … then don't bother."

"It's me again," Phillip quickly said after the beep sounded. "I understand you're still mad, but I have a student who really needs your help. C'mon and answer Delilah … I'm out of ideas …. please …"

An angry voice spoke on the distant end. "That's Doctor Jacobs to you Mister Markham!"

"Look, I'm sorry …" he started to apologize but the voice would have none of it.

"Sorry for what?" it demanded. "Sorry for leaving a voice mail that said 'Hi, I'm going to Japan'?"

"No, I'm sorry your schedule didn't allow us any time," he snapped, "so I could tell you about the job offer in person!"

Silence. And then the voice, a little calmer, returned. "You said a student of yours needs help."

That afternoon, to Asuna's surprise, their study session consisted of walking to that fabulous overlook Kaede took him to his first weekend at Mahora. They lay on tufts of grass and gazed up at passing clouds. "See that one," Phillip pointed to a fleecy shape. "That looks like a dolphin."

"Which one?" Asuna asked.

"That one," he replied.

"A dolphin huh? I think it looks more like a dragon."

"Ready for a short quiz?" he asked and received a decidedly unenthusiastic "I guess so."

"What's your favorite color?"

"Huh?"

"You heard me."

"Blue."

"What are Ayaka's favorite flowers?"

"Lilies and roses."

"What grade were you in when you met Konoka-san?"

"Third."

"What about Setsuna-san?"

"Seventh."

"Who is the analog of Jack's mother?"

"The Queen," Asuna absent-mindedly responded and then frowned. "What's going on?"

"Like I said," a smirking Phillip answered, "it's a short quiz. What does analog mean?"

"Um, analog," the girl repeated. "It's a … uh um …"

"I think we can stop right here," he announced.

"So what is going on sensei?" his student asked again.

"I've noticed that you start your tests well, but struggle the farther along you get," he explained. "Just now, you showed a grasp of the concept of what an analog is, but were unable to explain it when asked. I described this to a colleague who suggested it might simply be you're trying too hard."

The teen's expression was far more eloquent than words would have been.

"It's like an actor who does well during rehearsal, but freezes up in front of the audience," Phillip said. "Or somebody who knows a subject forwards and backwards but can't pass a test? The pressure we put on ourselves to do well can cause us to perform poorly."

"So what do I do sensei? Stop trying?"

"No," he chuckled in response. "But we'll be able to try a few ideas before you have to leave …"

"Leave? How'd …?" Asuna's mouth fell open and then closed with an audible click. Visions of violent acts committed upon the class rep came unbidden to him.

"The headmaster informed me," the teacher hastily answered. "We better head back."

Whether from concern or curiosity, Phillip closely monitored the girl's thoughts on the way down. To his surprise, instead of thoughts about her new home, life at the imperial court and a future of being a princess, memories of happy times at Mahora predominated. Particularly the ones shared with a certain somebody. Coupled with a conversation on the Kyoto bus and some numbers recalled from Albert's previous list, he wondered if Asuna wouldn't turn out to be that certain somebody's 'special girl' after all.

(-)

**A/N: Before you ask, I do like Stephen King. My project for this summer is to read all of the Dark Tower books in order. **

**Chapter title and heading were inspired by the song "Monday Monday" by the Mamas and the Papas. The song "Key of the Twilight" was written by Kajiura Yuki for the "hack/Sign" anime.**

**In the story, Lord Rallentando referred to Negi as Asuna's consort. The good marquis was trying to use a term that recognized the princess's relationship with a male who isn't a blood-relation as well as grant Negi a noble status without the boy having an actual title. This was misunderstood by those more familiar with the Japanese culture where the Empress Consort is the wife of the Emperor.**

**Among Asuna's titles was Earl of Argyre. An Earl's wife was referred to as a Countess. I've used the masculine form here to denote that Asuna holds that title through blood succession instead of marriage.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: No, I haven't given up on the story, but being a victim of down-sizing and having to find a new job does**** put a crimp in the time available for writing. Hopefully this is all behind me now (I'll keep my fingers crossed) and I can resume regular updates.**

**My thanks to both MakuhariFan-01 and DragonKnightSevus for their advice and for just being there.**

**Negima and its characters are owned by Ken Akamatsu. Likewise, Gundams don't belong to me either (but considering that they've generated over 50 billion yen in revenue, I could wish). Cabot, Hi'ki and Momo Zosho were created by MakuhariFan-01 and are used with his permission. Other characters are my creations.**

**The following conventions are used: **"words", 'thoughts', _reading, _lyrics_ and_ **"spells".**

**Good Intentions**

**Hell is full of good intentions - **St. Bernard of Clairvaux

**Great Library, ****Mahora Japan**

Bangs fell across eyes as Nodoka pushed away from the table with a sigh. Markham-sensei had tasked her, Yue and Haruna to track down any references to battling demons. Although the trio of library explorers had enthusiastically tackled their assignment, they had little to show for it. While many authors had written about demons, most accounts were either too vague or too fantastic to be of much use; and there were so many books left to check through.

A flash of resentment caused her pulse to quicken. Why did sensei have only these three students searching? Was he trying to get them, or Nodoka in particular, out of the way? Could this be an elaborate plot to give Ku Fei more time with Negi? Images of the boy and her classmate kissing brought heat to the dark-haired girl's cheeks. Open hands slapped down hard on the tabletop, prompting a worried "Are you okay?" from Yue.

Nodoka glanced over at her best friend's anxious face as anger transformed into embarrassment. "Um … no," she lied while carefully closing the book in front of her. "I, uh, guess it's frustration over not finding anything useful."

"Well there are plenty more to look through," Haruna announced as the recently arrived artist placed a new stack of books upon the table.

Nodoka removed another tome from the heap. Leather bound covers creaked as she opened to the title page and read _The People of the Monolith by Justin Geoffrey_. Cautiously, from fear of damaging the yellow-tinged pages, she flipped through the introduction to the opening lines.

_They say foul things of Old Times lurk_

_In dangerous forgotten corners of the world._

_And Gates still gape to loose, on certain nights,_

_Shapes pent in Hell._

'It's a poem,' she realized as Yue and Haruna began their own conversation over a passage the shorter girl had discovered.

"I found this book by a British Occultist named Titus Crow," Yue explained. "Crow-san claims to have fought and defeated several demons."

"We've seen that claim before," the mangaka remarked. "What makes his different?"

"For one thing, he uses plain terms instead of obscure when writing about magic," the other girl responded. "See here?"

With her attention half on the other's conversation, Nodoka glanced back at her book. Words shimmered before her gaze and writhed in serpentine fashion across the page. Lines of text coalesced into solid form and shot out towards the stunned girl. A tentacle, cold and slimy, wrapped about her head as others twisted around her arms. Suckered tips clamped painfully onto flesh and then the limbs began to pull.

"When banishing demons, the simple spell of banishment will work," Haruna, ignorant of what was happening nearby, read aloud. "However, to overcome a high class demon's natural resistance to magic requires a correspondingly greater amount of power applied to the spell rather than greater complexity."

Nodoka frantically gripped the edges of the book to keep from being drawn in as her friends continued blithely on with their discussion.

"Providing this is true, how can we use it?" Haruna asked. "I don't see that we can teach everyone a spell, or that they could cast it in the middle of a pitched battle."

"I don't either," Yue agreed. "But what if we could set a banishment spell in an item, like what we used against Chao's robots?"

Closer and closer Honya-chan was pulled towards the book. Like in one of those anime she had heard about, the tip of one tentacle rubbed obscenely against her lips. In desperation she bit down on the offensive member; teeth sank deeply into gelatinous tissue. When the grip relaxed in response, Nodoka slammed the pages shut. The tentacles vanished as the girl's strength gave out and she collapsed against the table.

"That might work if we can reprogram those weapons," Haruna said. "But how do we deal with the more powerful demons?"

"There might not be that many powerful demons," Yue answered. "Remember that Graf Von Hermann said he was the only high class demon out of those that attacked Negi-sensei's village."

"If we can believe what he said," the class gossip commented. "What do you think Nodoka?"

Her classmates turned and gasped at the disheveled girl who had grasped hold of a chair to keep upright.

(-)

Clip, clop, clip, clop. Footsteps echoed off the surrounding book shelves that rose canyon-like on either side. Still shaky from her recent encounter, Nodoka's eyes darted about, searching for the least sign of danger. A glow of light was visible ahead and the library girl heard voices talking. Thinking it might be Yamada-san, the library's ancient watchman, she was about to turn away until hearing the word "Negi." Peering around the corner, she saw Negi seated at a table with Asuna standing nearby.

"So what happened?" the boy asked.

"Ayaka collared Haruna and some of the others," Asuna answered. "They put out a story about how the marquis is a distant cousin of hers and the titles were part of a game we all played as children."

"That was pretty quick thinking," Negi observed. "Where is the marquis now?"

"He's over at the Yukihiro mansion," the teen replied. "Her family's servants should be able to handle him. Watcha' doing and what's with the lantern?"

"I've been trying to find more information on that artifact I brought back from Hawaii," he replied. "And not having much luck. As for the lantern … it reminds me of home."

Both Negi and Nodoka saw a pained expression cross the other girl's face. "I wish I had never heard about Ostia and all the rest," Asuna sighed. "I don't know how to be a princess … I'll just mess everything up."

Rising, Negi took the distraught teen's hands in his. "I felt the same way when told I would be going to be a teacher," he confessed. "But that was the path I had to travel to become a Magister Mage."

"This is totally different," Asuna countered. "I'm not working towards a goal; this was thrown at me."

"But you do have goal," the youngster insisted, "to discover who you are."

It was all Nodoka could do not to rush out to add her own encouragement. She had decided to slip quietly away when Negi asked, "Why exactly did the marquis want to see you?"

"He delivered a summons from the Empress of Hellas; I'm to present myself to the Imperial Court by Mid-Summer's Day," the girl answered. "As my … my partner, you've been invited too."

"Of course I'll come along." Those words took Nodoka's breath away. Without even being asked, Negi was prepared to drop everything and run off to the Mundus Magicus with Asuna. Responsibilities to his classes, the defense of Mahora and even their relationship didn't mean as much to the boy.

Not caring who heard, Nodoka broke into a run, not slowing down until she found herself in an unfamiliar section of the library. What should she do? Should she try to stop Negi from going? No, he was Asuna's protector. Should she borrow a page from Haruna and force them to take her along? Again she answered no as Markham-sensei was counting on her help.

Not knowing what else to do the bewildered girl summoned her artifact. Opening the Diarum Ejus to a blank page, she stared expectantly as lines appeared. A picture, drawn with a child-like simplicity, showed a smiling Negi and Asuna holding hands as the pair faced each other. Scrawled above each figure were the words 'I'm happy'.

(-)

**Sunny Hill Lane, Mahora Japan**

"Can we stop here Izumi-san?" the child asked.

Ako's gaze followed the path up to a public washroom. "But your dormitory is on the next block," she pointed out.

"I don't think I can wait that long," Mihai replied and then started dancing from foot to foot. At her nod, the white-haired boy bolted up the cement ramp and disappeared behind a bright blue door. Despite her mood, the youngster's antics brought a grin to Ako's face.

'They're all so cute at that age,' she thought. 'Even Negi-kun.'

During the diminutive teacher's first few months at Mahora, Professor Springfield was more like everyone's little brother rather than their instructor. How many times did sensei seem so clueless, so helpless? But in truth, the child turned out to be a powerful wizard who saved a fairytale world. And now he would save a former enemy too.

"I guess I'm still just a secondary character," the teen sighed as hands pressed down on the walkway's railing. "I wonder if Mihai-kun's nearly done."

Glancing at the washroom's door, Ako saw water trickle out from underneath. Quickly the trickle grew into a sheet. "Mihai!" the girl frantically called out. "Are you okay?"

Not hearing an answer, Ako looked about for help and then stepped inside the boy's room. The youngster stood in a pool of water, his head held firmly by an older boy. "What are you doing?" she demanded of the apparent bully.

"Be quiet or I'll crush his head," the stranger warned. "I am called Fate Averruncus."

Recognizing the name of Professor Springfield's enemy, Ako held a hand up, gesturing for calm. "Don't hurt him," the girl pleaded as her other hand inched towards the pocket containing her pactio card. "Nobody needs to be hurt."

"Then refrain from trying to contact Springfield-san," Fate coolly replied.

"Only if you'll stop pretending to threaten the boy," she countered. Fate released his hold on the captive and took a single step to the side. "He was the short, robed figure at the gateport wasn't he?"

"Yes," the white-haired mage readily admitted. "You are more perceptive than many of your classmates."

With how much the two boys resembled one another the teen didn't think much perception was called for. 'But considering that we didn't pick up on the existence of magic, even with it staring us in the face,' Ako thought, 'that fellow might have a point.' Aloud she asked, "What do you want?"

"I wish to speak with you," the mage answered. "I need your help to save the Mundus Magicus."

"Save?" Ako wanted to laugh. Fate and his minions had brought that other world to the brink of destruction just months before. "Do you expect me to believe that?"

"No," he responded. "But only because you've heard a single side of the story."

"You should know that the Life Giver created the Mundus Magicus," he related, "bringing forth life from the lifeless dust of Mars. However, the Life Giver never intended for the world to last. Even as we speak the strands of magic that sustain the Mundus Magicus are unraveling. And when they fail, as they inevitably must, all will revert to lifeless dust again."

Ako stood in mute shock.

"Over a billion inhabitants will disappear as if they had never been," Fate said with a snap of his fingers. "Gone like that while those descended from the Old World immigrates will be stranded on a barren planet; think of the millions doomed to an agonizing death. And you Izumi-san, you and the others will be the authors of this terrible calamity."

"No!" the teen hotly denied. "You're … you're lying!"

"Am I?" Fate challenged. "Then depart and see if my words are proved true or not. But if they are true, can you live with the knowledge that you could have prevented this destruction?"

His words rooted her to the spot as she did imagine the cruel death of being suddenly shifted to the Martian wastes. If the lack of an atmosphere didn't kill them instantly, exposure to intense cold with no food or shelter would soon enough. "But you tried to destroy them too."

"I was fashioned to be a dutiful servant," Fate replied. "Only with the destruction of the Mundus Magicus can enough magic be released to achieve salvation. The Life Giver's true plan is the creation of a world free from strife and suffering, where all stand equal and can live according to the dictates of their free will."

Familiar with the term utopia, Ako understood what the other was talking about. "That sounds good, but it will never work."

"Not with the way the world is now," he agreed, "but when Kosmos Entelechia is implemented, it will be different. Each person will shape their own world, living the life they most desire."

"Still skeptical I see," Fate observed and then made a gesture too rapid for her to follow. As the room darkened, Ako heard, "Let me show you how it will be."

(-)

Ako snuggled deeper into the covers, savoring their warmth. Considering that her roommate's behavior often resembled that of a hyperactive chipmunk on a sugar binge, sleeping in late was a rare treat. Fabric crinkled as another body settled onto the sheets behind her and eyes snapped open wide as a voice far deeper than Makie's said "Morning sleepyhead."

Swiftly Ako shifted from side to back and stared straight into a young man's face. 'Nagi!' she thought and then reminded herself that Nagi was only an illusion of Negi-kun as a teen. An annoyed frown spread across her face as hands clutched the bedcovers tighter. "What are you doing on my bed?"

"A fine greeting that is," the mage replied, feigning a tone of hurt. "And after I came in to ask if you were ready for breakfast."

"Of course, if you'd rather," Negi added with a smile so roguishly out of place on his otherwise innocent face, "we could continue what we were doing last night."

"What we were doing last night," Ako repeated and then blushed as the implication of his words sunk in. "What **were** we doing last night?"

"Only what couples have been doing on their honeymoons for the past several centuries," he answered. Ako's mouth fell open as he tenderly kissed the side of her face. "Let me see about breakfast darling."

When he stood up, the heat in her cheeks grew even hotter. "Your … your clothes," she stammered while mentally grappling with the image before her.

"They're in the closet along with yours," a definitely grownup Negi responded before leaving the bedroom.

Sheets settled about her waist as Ako sat up. Thoughts tumbled over each other in a torrent. Honeymoon … last night … we … and Negi-kun looks like that. The confused girl glanced down and received a further shock. Slowly hands cupped and lifted a pair of unfamiliar breasts. "When did this happen?" she whispered and then stared as sunlight glinted off the smooth gold band encircling a finger.

She had composed herself when the door swung open again. The aroma of buttered toast wafting from the tray went unnoticed as the newlywed gawked at her husband, clad in naught but a baby blue apron. "I couldn't decide on rice or bread," Negi announced. "So I fixed both."

The petite fist shoved into a dainty mouth did nothing to stifle laughter as it convulsed the young bride's sides. "Negi …"

The apron wearing man's face looked at her quizzically in response. "What about my little cousin?" he asked. At that, Ako's expression turned as baffled as his.

"Cousin," she repeated. "But you're …"

Worried, the young man set the breakfast tray aside and placed a palm against her brow. "Are you feeling alright darling?" he asked.

"No fever,' the man declared and Ako realized that something was horribly wrong, but the memory of what it was slipped away like so many grains of sand escaping from between her fingers.

"It's nothing," she said. "What is your cousin Negi up to?"

"Last I heard Negi and his father were still with the princess in Argyre," Nagi answered.

"That's good," Ako replied as arms wrapped around her husband and pulled him close.

"Not that I mind," he remarked, "but at this rate you won't have time for breakfast before you need to leave."

"Leave?" she replied while nuzzling against the fabric covered chest. "Why would I want to leave?"

"I don't suppose missing one performance will hurt," came the response, "however, you'll have a lot of disappointed fans."

(-)

The limousine stopped in front of the theater's rear entrance and Ako could see a crowd gathered around, a crowd that cheered loudly as she stepped out of the vehicle. "Izumi!" they shouted. "Izumi!

Security guards waded into their midst and the crowd parted yet the people continued to clamor for a sliver of their idol's notice. "Look this way!" "We love you Izumi!" "Smile please!"

She smiled and saw a red-haired man, who looked vaguely familiar, nudge his friend in the side. "See that Tosaka? Ako smiled at me."

"Oh stuff it Cabot," his friend, who also looked oddly familiar, retorted. "She smiled at me."

A moment more and she was through the door. "You're late," a familiar voice scolded.

"Sorry Shirabe," she apologized to horned girl who led Damashi.

"I suppose lover boy kept you up all night," a scowling Homura commented and Ako wondered if the other girl's face ever wore a different expression.

"No," she answered mischievously. "It was more I kept Nagi up all night."

"Never mind," Shirabe said before Homura could respond. "Just get ready."

(-)

Cheers erupted at the first chords. Shirabe's amplified voice carried over the din.

Tell the swine we will make it out alive. There's a note in the pages of the book.  
So sleep tonight, we'll sleep dreamlessly this time. When we awake we'll know that everything's alright. And sing to me about the end of the world. End of these hammers and needles for you.

The audience quieted as the rest of Damashi's voices blended with the lead singer's.

Hold on to the world we all remember fighting for. There's still strength left in us yet.  
Hold on to the world we all remember dying for. There's still hope left in it yet.

Music thundered from massed speakers as the song continued.

The snow on your face, and your razor blades; the twilight is bruised and there you lie.  
And sing to me, about the end of the world. End of these hammers and needles for you.  
We'll cry tonight, but in the morning we are new. Stand in the sun; we'll dry your eyes.

Hold on to the world we all remember fighting for. There's still strength left in us yet.  
Hold on to the world we all remember dying for. There's still hope left in it yet.

Sing. Sing. Arise.

Arise and be, came the chorus, all that you dreamed, all that you dreamed.

Arise and be, sang Shirabe and the audience followed with all that you dreamed, all that you dreamed.

Arise and be, Shirabe sang again but a deafening silence rang in Ako's ears. She glanced about and found herself back in the boy's washroom. "That was it? That was Kosmos Entelechia?"

"Only a close approximation," Fate answered. "However, it should suffice to provide you with an idea of the Life Giver's intent."

"So we trade in the world for an idle daydream?" She couldn't believe the young wizard was serious.

"No," came his answer. "We trade in the world as it exists now for 1.2 billion worlds, each conforming to an individual's deepest wants and desires."

Fate surprised her by actually smiling. "Think of it Izumi-san, think if everyone could live in the world of their dreams. There would be no war, no disease, no slavery; none would go hungry or live in poverty. Can the Mundus Magicus, as corrupt as it is, ever achieve that?"

The picture the boy painted was seductive, yet still Ako hesitated.

"Imagine a world where nobody would be an onlooker or feel left behind," he continued to draw her in. "Everyone would be the main character of a story of their choosing."

"So what do you need me to do?" she cautiously asked.

"Realizing that the world had strayed too far from the path set down, the Life Giver created an artifact to bring about its rebirth," Fate explained. "It was called the Key of the Twilight and the Life Giver entrusted the Key into the hands of a servant; but the servant betrayed his master and hid the Key. If you can recover the Key, then the inhabitants of the Mundus Magicus can still be saved."

"What does this Key of the Twilight look like?"

"In appearance it resembles an old fashioned key, but a little more than a meter and a half long," he answered.

"Oh," Mihai, who had been silent up till then, exclaimed. "It's like a keyblade then."

"As I was saying," Fate continued, "a little more than a meter and a half long and surmounted by a crystal sphere."

"Where is this Key?" Ako asked. "And why do you need my help? Why not have one of your ministra retrieve it?"

"I won't reveal its location until you've agreed to help," he answered. "As for the other, the Key is warded, preventing the Life Giver's true servants from recovering it. But one who is of Ffyfnon's blood, or the ministra of such, should easily bypass them."

"I'll need time to think this over," Ako finally said.

"Take all the time you wish," Fate responded as his form turned watery. "But each minute you delay brings the Mundus Magicus closer to the point beyond which it cannot be saved."

The mage dissolved and water continued to flow under the door. "Are you going to help find the keyblade?" Mihai asked.

"I … I haven't decided," she replied.

"I hope you do Izumi-san," the boy said with an earnest expression on his face. "Then maybe I'd stop being a nobody."

(-)

Some days it didn't pay to get out of bed. This morning, for instance, Evangeline walked out of the bedroom to find Himiko up and flourishing the duster with more vigor than the demon was normally want to do. She didn't mind that at all, but was convinced the lilim's instance on humming "A spoonful of sugar …" was an intentional annoyance. Unfortunately, school did nothing to improve her mood.

Studies, never a high priority for the students in her home room, went completely by the wayside with the excuse of planning for the upcoming festival. And then the rumors started. A boy had snuck into the high school dormitory. He was the new boyfriend of, take your pick, Konoe-san, Sakurazaki-san or Kagurazaka-san. Evangeline found it amusing until the next rumor that Kagurazaka was secretly a princess surfaced. This was swiftly followed by the boy was really Yukihiro-san's distant cousin and the "princess" was a childhood nickname. She breathed a sigh of relief when speculation that Asuna was the unknown lad's promise girl started.

"I doubt Kagurazaka-san will even make it into a university much less Tokyo U," she had told a curious student. "Stuff like that only happens in stories."

The afternoon was wasted in one of Nitta-san's team building exercises. Seruhiko had to nudge her about halfway through when she started snoring. Honestly, the man could put a room full of insomniacs to sleep.

It was well past six when Evangeline trudged up the stairwell to the teacher's apartments. A heel that had snapped off earlier still wobbled uncertainly after a hastily cast mending spell. Markham-sensei answered the door in response to her knock.

"Can I help you Ishikawa-san?" the American asked without offering to let her inside.

"I heard Kagurazaka-san had a visitor this morning," Evangeline said. "Is that true?"

"Yes," Phillip answered.

"Are you mad at me Markham-san?"

"Why would I be mad at you Ishikawa-san," he replied with more than a trace of sarcasm. "Doesn't every man dream of being slammed into the floor and assaulted by a succubus?"

"I admit that Himiko was overly exuberant," she responded, not entirely sure why the man was upset, "but I was thinking of your welfare."

Phillip's expression grew skeptical.

"You seem to have been overly stressed recently," Evangeline explained. "I thought you could use some sort of, ah, release."

"I hope you're not expecting a thank you," he tartly replied. "I can understand a 12 year old not having a clue, but you surprise me."

"Of all the …" Evangeline started to say when the heel gave way and she pitched forward.

Reflexively, Phillip grabbed her by the waist. "Are you okay Ishikawa-san?"

"I'm fine," she replied. Her heart was furiously pounding as a deep blush spread across her cheeks. Memories of that moment in the hospital charged forward and trampled her anger. "I'm fine."

Confused by both the turn of events and her unexpected feelings, Evangeline apologized and swiftly retreated. 'Another miscalculation,' she thought and while not as dire a situation as falling into Nagi's anti-vampire soup, it left her in an uncomfortable position. In order to salvage things, she needed to act quickly. More than a gesture of good will was needed; whatever she did had to be something that would prove her sincerity.

(-)

**Great Library, Mahora Japan**

Light from the electric torch did little except reveal that the chasm beyond the span's railings stretched far beyond its illumination.

"What kind of place is this?"

"Near as I can tell Miyaki-san," his companion answered, "this is a part of the original structure built by the mages that founded Mahora."

It seemed to Koichi that he had spent hours crossing the bridge, but a glance at his watch assured the former yakuza enforcer only a few minutes elapsed. Roots, some as thick as the man's waist, snaked down the walls to either side of double doors. His guide pushed and the door swung inwards with a "kree-e-e". Light spilled out from the other side, temporarily blinding the gangster. When vision returned, he found rows upon rows of identical, spike-haired men standing upon a raised platform.

"Are those people?" he whispered.

No," the other answered. "Those are golems … robots if you'd prefer."

Past the lines of robots were large vehicles that reminded him of six limbed beetles. "Are these what we're looking for?" he asked, but his guide shook a head no.

"As impressive as they are, I was thinking of something with a bit more firepower," the other replied as they came to the shore of an underground lake. Koichi's eyes went wide with shock as he gazed upon a huge figure rising from the water as the man continued, "When I said we were visiting the armory of the gods, I meant it."

"Is that a gundam or what?" his disbelieving voice asked.

"I think the mages around here called it an onikami," the answer came, "but gundam works for me."

"And you can control that thing?" Koichi asked. "Mages are scary."

"I have to agree with you there," the other man remarked while pulling a spell tag from a pocket. "Place this on its forehead and say the name of the person you want to target."

"What? Why do I have to put that on its forehead?"

"You're the one who's supposed to take down those girls," his companion replied. "I'm just providing the gun; you have to pull the trigger."

With a muttered curse, the thug snatched the scrap of paper and began wading out into the lake.

Muscles trembled from strain as he hung from a projection above the gundam's eye. Koichi slapped the tag to gleaming metal and hesitated. As much as the thug would have preferred to choose another, he whispered a name and watched as a red glow filled the socket. The golem's sudden movement caused him to slip and down the enforcer fell.

Disoriented by the shock of striking the water and sinking, Koichi desperately clawed his way towards what he hoped was the surface. As his head emerged from the lake, he greedily gulped in a lungful of air. By the time his wits returned, the giant robot had vanished.

(-)

**Granicus, Mundus Magicus**

Air shimmered above the desert sands as a small group of weary travelers hiked across. Dirt-caked hoods pulled to shade from the sun, made them appear more like five wraiths haunting a hellish wasteland; however, their conversation though was far more mundane.

"Are we there yet?" Christian asked, smirking as he did so.

"Some shortcut," Aisha complained. "We should have followed the map."

"So you've said before," Craig responded. "I trust the librarian here. We'll find Rakan."

Hi'ki was beginning to wonder whether the tall man's faith was justified. The map was little more than a dotted line connecting various landmarks and hardly written to scale. But in Granicus the rabbit-eared boy had been informed that the reclusive hero's villa was but a day's journey out of town. He sincerely hoped that this wasn't somebody's idea of a joke.

A few kilometers later, Lynn reported seeing greenery and a white tower ahead. "Where?" Aisha asked and the dark-haired elf pointed to the distant horizon.

After a hastily recited spell, Aisha peered through a ring formed by her thumb and forefinger. "Looks like an oasis," she explained in a relieved tone. "Even if Rakan isn't there, we can get out of the heat."

Gently swaying palms provided shade for the dense vegetation beneath. Although the sound of water cascading down rocks tantalized parched throats, the hunters moved cautiously through the brush as if stalking a fugitive.

A tall, massively built man stood upon the shore of the reservoir. Even with his back turned towards them, there was no mistaking the famous Jacobius "Jack" Rakan, the Man of a Thousand Blades. Hi'ki could sense power radiating from the man who fought one of the Empire's sacred dragons to a standstill.

'How did my father know him?' the young librarian wondered as Rakan moved through practice forms with a flawless precision born out of a lifetime of repetition.

"You know," a voice boomed out, startling the party, "if I wanted an audience I'd have rented the arena at Granicus; could have charged admission to boot."

Craig motioned and stepped away from the concealing bushes. The others followed until they all stood upon the tiny beach. Sporting an ear to ear grin, Rakan faced the group. "I live in the middle of nowhere for privacy," the man informed them. "I don't appreciate it when fans stop by to ask for an autograph or to chat over tea."

"We're not fans," Craig announced with more calm than Hi'ki imagined possible. "We're here on business."

"I recognize you bounty hunter," Rakan responded as the ex-gladiator glanced at each of them in turn, weighing the threat posed by the potential adversaries. "What's your business here?"

"You have something that belongs to our employer," Craig answered as Christian gave Hi'ki a shove forward.

The teen quailed as Rakan's full gaze bore down upon him. "I'm Hi'ki Zosho," the boy managed to say, "head of the library at Dracogenia."

An expression of interest lit the other man's face at mention of the library, but was instantly replaced by one of shock as the librarian explained, "I'm here to collect an overdue book."

(-)

**A/N: The chapter heading and title are from a proverb attributed to St. Bernard among others. **

**The People of the Monolith and Justin Geoffrey, as well as the poem snippet, were created by Robert Howard. Though better known for his barbarian swordsmen, Howard contributed several stories to the Cthulhu Mythos.**

**Titus Crow is a character created by author Brian Lumley who is also a contributor to the Mythos. Unlike Lovecraft's investigators, Titus doesn't faint at the appearance of an eldritch abomination. **

**The song performed in Ako's dream sequence is "Arise" by Flyleaf. I thinks its lyrics fit in with what KE is attempting to do. I am basing the working of Kosmos Entelechia on the translated scans of chapter 296. It is possible that these are incorrect (not like Del Rey ever makes mistakes) but they are the only source I have available.**

**The next chapter should contain the fight with the Gundam, er wrong fanfiction section, I mean the golem.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I know I promised a battle, but I got distracted by another of those side stories. I've been working with Makuhari_Fan01 to flesh out the background on Hi'ki's parents and finished this section first. So I figured better to present a chapter out of order than wait even longer. Sigh. I miss summer vacations.**

**Ken Akamatsu owns Negima and its characters. Hi'ki Zosho and his mother Momo are characters created by Makuhari_Fan01 and are used with his permission. Thanks again for the help. To make following a little easier, I'm presenting this list of dramatis persona: Hi'ji Zosho (scribe and Hi'ki's father), Momo S'nes (mercenary and Hi'ki's mother), Saseru Enteofushia (King of Vespertatia and Asuna's father), Stanley Seagrave (Chancellor of Vespertatia and older mage who along with Nekane saved Negi from being petrified), Ernest (Stanley's familiar).**

**Following several chapter from the manga, much of the action is presented as a movie. Asides from the viewers are within parentheses.**

**The following conventions are used: **"words", 'thoughts', _'reading_', _memories_, **and "spells".**

**(-)**

**Love Among the Ruins**

**O heart! Oh blood that freezes, blood that burns –** Robert Browning

**Rakan's Villa outside of Granicus, Mundus Magicus**

'Fifteen years worth of fines, compounded annually!' Jack mentally cursed as he stomped up the stairs to his quarters. 'Plus the cost of the book … that kid must be out of his ever –loving mind!'

'Still, he's got more backbone than I thought,' the battle-scarred warrior admitted as he entered the upper floor. 'He just might be Zosho's boy after all.'

'I guess Hi'ji convinced that mercenary gal to marry him.' Like an arrow shot from a bow, Jack headed for the opposite side of the room but then stopped short to gaze at a partially completed canvas. A girl dressed in a devil costume stared silently back. Wordlessly, he continued on to a massive bed. Crouching nearly to the floor, Jack pulled a bundle out from underneath and then gentled peeled the oil skin wrapping away to reveal a large, leather-bound tome. Words, covered with gold foil, proudly proclaimed _'Ancient Artifacts and Magical Items.'_

Turning the book, Jack noted the large indentation at the base of its spine and recalled a day in Ariadne, just after the war's end.

"_What do you mean 'Thanks but I'll pass'?" Hellas' third princess screeched as only a pampered, eleven year old could._

_Jack sighed in weary resignation and then braced for the onslaught. Since Ala Rubra rescued Theodora from Kosmos Entelechia's secret base, he had weathered many of the child's temper tantrums. At times it had almost been a game between them, but in the aftermath of the Life Maker's defeat their frequency had gone from daily to almost hourly. Upon waking from surgery, he found Theo at his bedside and hadn't even said hello before the princess launched into a tirade about being so careless as to lose both arms. How he had yearned to turn the spoiled brat over a knee and administer a lesson long overdue._

"_What I mean princess is that we have too much cleaning up left," Jack answered. "It's all we can do to hide the refugees and sneak them out a few at a time."_

_Tiny hands, balled into fists, settled onto hips as the child's eyes glittered dangerously, but Jack continued, unheedful of the warning. "I don't have time for tea and cake with your mom."_

"_My mother, um, Her Imperial Majesty wishes to honor Ala Rubra for defeating the Life Maker!" Theo shouted, outraged by the refusal. "This is an imperial summons you dolt, not a party invitation!"_

"_Listen princess, I only take orders from one person and that's me," he said, emphasizing 'me' by pointing a thumb to his chest._

"_And it's amazing that you're still alive," she retorted in a caustic tone._

_Throughout their many arguments, Jack had reserved one final card. Sensing that now was the moment, he played it. "Look, I know you're crazy about me …"_

"_Wha …" Theo stammered as a stunned expression froze her face. "What did you say?"_

"_I know you have a crush on me," the former gladiator answered, grinning as he spoke. "A lot of girls do, but it's just a phase you're going through."_

"_You …" she started but the words stuck._

"_It would never work out between us anyways," he continued. "I'm not cut out for that hobnobbing, royalty stuff."_

"_You …"_

"_Besides, I'm too old for you." Little flames flickered in the air about Theo, but Jack charged forward like the proverbial bull in a china shop. "You should set your cap on a younger fellow like Takamichi."_

"_You ignorant …!" Theo screamed as the girl snatched up a porcelain tea pot and flung it at his head._

_Jack easily snagged the improvised missile. "Now princess …"_

"… _Insolent …!" she shouted as the cream pitcher followed and was intercepted too._

"… _Insensitive …!" _

_Not having any hands empty, he caught the hurled tea cup between his teeth._

"… _Egotistical …!"_

_As the matching saucer flew towards him, Jack casually flipped the cup up, caught the dish and then positioned it so the cup landed safely on it._

"… _Buffoon!"_

_He was about to congratulate himself on pulling off the difficult maneuver when a heavy book smacked into to his forehead._

Returning to the present, Jack absent-mindedly rubbed his brow before returning outside where his company waited. He marched up to the young librarian from Dracogenia. "Is this what you're looking for?"

The rabbit-eared teen cautiously took the book from him. "Yes sir," Hi'ki answered in reverential tone.

The four bounty hunters, their eyes fastened on the prize in the boy's grasp, quickly surrounded the librarian.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to sell it to me would you?" Jack asked and all five heads swiveled towards his direction.

"I don't think," Hi'ki started to answer but Jack interrupted.

"You're Hi'ji Zosho's son aren't you?" he asked and watched as the youngster nodded yes. "How you'd like to hear about how your old man helped Ala Rubra?"

The boy's eyes eagerly lit up in response. "You knew my father?"

"Yeah, we met in Ostia during the war," Jack explained and then smiled to himself. "Met your mother too if I'm not mistaken."

Having set the lure, he began to reel the lad in. "Interested? The story will only cost you 200,000 drachma."

"200,000?" the tallest bounty hunter exclaimed. "How do you expect the kid to pay that?"

"That's ridiculous," the blonde, sheep-eared woman declared.

"No more ridiculous than travelling from Dracogenia to recover a book 15 years overdue," Jack said. "So how about it kid? Are you interested?"

(-)

"Where do you want this thing?" Aisha asked as Jack attached both reels to the movie projector.

"Over there," the man pointed and then set about threading the film through the machine.

"I can use some help," the sheep-eared bounty hunter said. Hi'ki couldn't help but notice that while her eyes were on Craig, it was Christian who sprang to the woman's assistance. Once the screen was set up, they took their seats and the movie began.

Drums rolled, followed by a fanfare of trumpets. Spotlights moved back and forth, illuminating massive letters with their beams.

("Rakan Productions," Aisha read aloud. "What the …?"

"Shhhh," come the response from the woman's companions.)

Two warships, one Northern and the other Southern, approached each other through twilit skies as Jack Rakan's voice boomed, "Since the fall of Speaker Katis and the National Welfare Front a generation before, the nations of the Alliance and the Hellas Empire maintained a mutually suspicious watch upon the other. Thus primed, they needed a single spark to explode into open warfare. A spark all too willingly supplied by agent provocateurs employed by Total World." Both ship's guns fired simultaneously and then the picture shifted to the islands of Old Ostia, floating serenely above the Vesperine Valley.

"Vespertatia, a kingdom small but symbolically rich, was squeezed between these two behemoths," the narration continued as the camera showed gigantic figures shambling towards a lone tower. "On the verge of collapse, the kingdom was rescued by the combined might of three heroes, members of the famed Ala Rubra."

An image of Nagi Springfield, flanked by Eishun Konoe and Alberio Imma, filled the screen. "But our tale is not about these well-known heroes," the voice proclaimed. "Rather it is of a humbler man whose deeds have gone uncelebrated for far too long."

In big, bold letters 'The Hi'ji Zosho Story' flashed quickly across the screen, followed by a scrolling list of credits.

("As told to Jack Rakan, narrated by Jack Rakan, written by Jack Rakan," Christian repeated. "Music score by Jack Rakan …"

"Did he play all the parts too?" Craig muttered under his breath.)

Violins played in the background as a floor mounted camera followed a pair of legs as they moved purposefully through a busy office. The camera panned upward, revealing a man wearing robes indentifying him as an employee of the Ostian Royal Archives.

(Hi'ki's memories of his father were of an old man; the teen was shocked by the youthful figure from twenty years before.

"Is that your father?" Aisha whispered.

"Yeah," the librarian answered.

"He looked pretty good back then," the bounty hunter commented in an admiring tone.)

Hi'ji Zosho, level II scribe, stood before the scriptorium's supervisor. "Master Amarius," he said. "I need more supplies."

The supervisor glanced at the proffered list. "What project are you working on?"

"The Grand Palace floor plans," he answered. "They've deteriorated so much as to be unusable. The chancery requested a new copy be made."

"That's an awfully big project Zosho," the other man remarked. "Why aren't they using auto-sprites?"

"They are sir," Hi'ji quickly assured. "But the sprites can't distinguish between the original and later emendations. And mold damage is severe in some places."

"This amount is more than I can approve," Master Amarius stated. "You'll need to take this to the exchequer for the Chancellor's endorsement."

The scribe's face fell at those words. Chancellor Stanley Seagrave, Ostia's Lord High Treasurer, managed the king's finances with a fist so tight that, as the tale went, he would rub drachma smooth before releasing them. With the speed approaching that of a funeral procession, the scribe departed the scriptorium.

As elaborate as any temple, the Royal Treasury was a huge building near the center of the capitol's main island. While walking through the lobby, Hi'ji was approached by a teen-aged boy wearing a tattered robe with its hood up and holding a child, whose face was likewise concealed, by the hand. "Do you know where the head man around here hangs out?" he was asked.

"Do you mean the Chancellor?"

"Whoever it is that pays the bills," the stranger answered.

"I'm on my way to his office," Hi'ji informed the boy. "You can follow me there."

"Geez, how does anything get done around here?" his newfound companion asked as they strode down the hall. "I went to seven other departments before being told I had to come here."

"Is this Chancellor guy really the skinflint everybody says?" the boy asked, catching Hi'ji by surprise.

The scribe hesitated while considering a diplomatic reply. While he could agree with the teen's words, such bluntness was not always appreciated. "I wouldn't say 'skinflint'," he finally responded. "Perhaps …"

The remainder of his reply was forgotten as a nearby door opened and the Lord High Treasurer stepped out of an office. "And that report had better be on my desk in an hour!" the man yelled before slamming the door shut.

Hi'ji gave a strangled cry. "Lord … Lord Chancellor."

As the minister turned, the robed boy pulled back his hood, unveiling a mop of reddish-brown hair. "Hey oji-san," the teen said. "I need to talk with you about this repair bill for my ship."

("Hey" Craig exclaimed. "That's Nagi Springfield!"

Lynn bent forward to look at Hi'ki. "Did your father ever mention this?" the dark-haired bounty hunter asked.

"No," Hi'ki answered. "He never said a word." And if his father had, the librarian wondered, would he have believed it?)

Lord Seagrave looked down a sharply pointed nose at the youngster. "I don't have time for this," the chancellor responded. "Submit your request to the bursar …"

"Already been there and done that," the boy interrupted. "His Majesty promised to pay for my ship and I'm getting tired of this runaround."

"Nagi," the boy's tiny companion whispered. "When are we going to get more ice cream?"

It wasn't until that moment that Hi'ji noticed an ermine perched on the chancellor's shoulder, clinging to the fabric of Lord Seagrave's robe. "Whatever His …" the minister began to say and then stopped as the creature chirped something into the man's ear. Whatever it said caused the man's eyes to grow larger.

"Come this way," Lord Seagrave commanded and pushed back into the office he had just exited. In chasing its occupant out, the chancellor had seemed a fiend from the blackest pit of hell. Once alone however, an unexpected smile transformed the harried minister into something more akin to a kindly uncle.

"Your Highness." The lord spoke softly as he knelt before the child and gently pushed back her hood. "What are you doing out of the palace?"

"Nagi is showing me all of Ostia 'cause I'm going to rule it one day," the little girl excitedly answered.

'Oh my God!' Hi'ji thought as he grappled with the unexpected turn of events. 'That's Princess Asuna and that … that must be the Thousand Master! Nobody will believe this! Should I ask for his autograph? No wait, what am I thinking? '

"He made Papa promise not to put me in the tower again," the little princess continued, prompting a surprised "Did he?" from Lord Seagrave.

"Uh-huh and I'm going to make him my knight- protector when I get bigger and he'll be Sir Nagi."

"Sir Nagi eh?" The chancellor chuckled while rising from the floor. "I guess we can spare a few drachma for your future knight-protector."

Snatching a quill from the table, Lord Seagrave signed the Thousand Master's script. As the pair departed, Hi'ji heard the man murmur, "So like her mother."

"Uh, Lord Chancellor," Hi'ji said.

In an instant, Seagrave's expression resumed its earlier wariness. "What is it scribe?"

"I'm copying the palace floor plans for the chancery," he explained. "My supply list is more than Master Amarius can approve."

With a critical eye, the lord scanned his list and then signed it without comment. As Hi'ji left the Treasury, still in a mild state of shock, he encountered the hooded pair outside.

"Thanks for the help," Nagi said.

"I didn't do all that much," he responded. "Are you really the one they call 'the Man of a Thousand Spells'?"

"That's me," the boy answered. "You may not think it was much, but I appreciate it all the same. Let me know if I can ever return the favor."

(-)

"Yet another chance encounter occurred a few months later," the narrator said, "an encounter every bit as momentous as the first."

The scene faded and was replaced by one with the scribe standing in front of a magazine rack. "Hi'ji!" a voice called out and he turned to watch another man approach.

"Don't you ever tire of hanging out at the bookstore?" the newcomer asked.

"Why should I Beni?" he asked in response. "Besides, they finally got a shipment."

"Really?" the man named Beni asked and then eagerly scanned the top row. "The new issue's in."

Deftly the fellow plucked a magazine from the shelf. 'Ooh-la-la' was splashed across a cover featuring a scantily attired cat-girl and a promise of 'the best curves in fur.'

("Ugh!" Aisha exclaimed. "A fur mag!"

"Lighten up Aisha," Craig scolded. "Ooh-la-la is pretty tame."

"Yeah, its school boy stuff," Christian agreed. "I used to sneak peeks at my older brother's copies all the time."

The sheep-eared woman glared at her two companions, but voiced only a "Hrmpf!" at their comments.)

"Oh mama!" Beni said as he folded the magazine in half to display a picture of a smiling bunny-girl whose swimsuit covered just enough to keep the photo from being airbrushed. "Would you get a load of her!"

"How'd you like her to do that with your carrot?" the man asked, pointing out the orange root nestled within the model's ample cleavage.

Hi'ji sadly shook his head. "So what brought you down here?"

"My sister-in-law will be visiting next month," Beni answered. "Cheree and I are planning a little get together to introduce her to other people and wanted to invite you."

"She's cuuute," his friend added.

"I don't know," Hi'ji replied with a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

"What?" Beni rolled his eyes. "Do you have a book report due then? You stay cooped up too much Hi'ji. You need to get out and meet some people."

"I'll think about it," he replied as noncommittally as possible. "Isn't that your wife?"

"Huh?" Beni's head whipped around to the entrance where a woman stood, glancing around.

"Here," the man said as he shoved the magazine towards Hi'ji before walking away. "Hold that for me buddy."

Not really paying attention to his surroundings, Hi'ji stepped in the opposite direction. Bump! Whump! Books clattered to the floor.

"Oh bother!" an exasperated voice proclaimed. Hi'ji stood face to face with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Lop ears covered with velvet-soft, brown fur splayed to either side of her head, framing exquisite features.

("Isn't that your mother?" Christian asked.

"I think so," a confused Hi'ki answered. "She sure looks, um, different.")

"Ex-excuse me miss," the scribe stammered.

"My fault," the rabbit-woman replied as she bent to retrieve a stack of fallen books, revealing her own impressive cleavage. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

With difficulty, Hi'ji tore his gaze away. "Let me help," he offered and quickly knelt beside her. "Here you go."

As she thanked him, the woman picked up the dropped copy of Ooh-la-la and held up it. "And here's your … magazine."

'Oh great!' the young man mentally groaned. 'She probably thinks I'm a pervert.'

"I couldn't help but notice your books are about airships," he said while reluctantly accepting the magazine. "Have you read Professor Farandole's book?"

"Professor Farandole?" she responded with a quizzical expression on her face.

"Yeah. He's the expert on modern airship design."

A short while later they were seated in the store's adjoining café. Hi'ji sipped from his cup as Momo flipped to another page.

"This is amazing," she remarked. "I'll bet the Svanhvit is based on these designs. I can really use this."

"Are you an engineer?" he eagerly asked.

"No, I'm an artillerist," Momo answered. "My company was hired to man Ostia's anti-air defenses."

"You're a mercenary?" he asked in surprise.

"That's right," the woman answered and then glanced at a nearby clock. "Look at the time; I need to go. Thanks for the suggestion."

"Anytime," Hi'ji offered. "I spend most of free time here so look me up."

"Alright," Momo said with the faintest trace of a smile on her lips. "My next day off is in a week. I'll meet you here."

"I'll be waiting."

(-)

"Five months after Ala Rubra began its war on Total World and its backers," Rakan's voice announced, "It became apparent to all that the Royal City of Ostia would be the site of the final battle."

A flash of white scampered down the steps as Hi'ji hurried behind as rapidly as he dared. A stone wall curved away on the young man's right while to the left was naught but open air. Panting as he reached the stairway's base, he saw the ermine halt near a figure wearing a pointed cap and mage's robe. In the distance, the Gravekeeper's Palace floated, looking for all the world like a beast lying in wait for its prey to approach.

The figure slowly turned and was revealed as "Lord Chancellor."

Lord Stanley Seagrave took the pipe from his mouth and blew out a cloud of smoke. "Thank you for coming young man," the aged minister said. "I mean no offense, but that warrior's garb ill suits you."

Suddenly self-conscious, Hi'ji shifted uncomfortably yet remained quiet.

"I warned him that the kingdom's finances couldn't afford an army," Stanley mused aloud. "And putting uniforms on stable hands, scullery maids and scribes doesn't make them soldiers."

"Now war is at our very doorstep." The lord pointed the pipe's stem at him. "I both admire and condemn your bravery young Zosho."

"What do you want to see me about sir?" the scribe turned soldier asked.

"You were copying the palace floor plans several months ago," the minister remarked. "Did you finish them?"

"Yes sir," Hi'ji confirmed.

"I'd like a copy."

"You have only to request one from the Master Archivist," he started to explain.

"I don't want to make an official request."

Alarm bells rang in his head as a suddenly dry mouth asked, "Why is that?"

"I intend to help the princess escape Ostia before it's too late," the chancellor admitted. "And I don't want that scoundrel we call our king to ask what I'm up to."

As if petrified by a basilisk's gaze, Hi'ji stood and stared. 'That's … that's …' the thought tumbled through his mind but balked at the word treason.

"You think me a traitor don't you?" Stanley asked. "Perhaps I am, but isn't it treasonous as well to make others die uselessly to avoid facing justice?"

Stanley gazed hard at him as if trying to fathom his thoughts. Finally, the old man's shoulders slumped forward. "Do as your heart dictates young man," he said while slowly turning away. "Saseru Enteofushia forfeited my loyalty the day he invited those scum responsible for this damn war into the palace."

More puffs rose in the air to dance above the pointed cap. "Princess Asuna is my sovereign lord," Stanley firmly announced. "And I serve her alone."

Hi'ji had met King Enteofushia only once, when His Majesty thanked a group of government workers for their sacrifice in the defense of Vespertatia. The king struck him as cruel and arrogant, perfectly capable of having his wife murdered as rumor whispered. But was that any excuse?

Though the scribe had never experienced any visions prior, an image of Momo suddenly appeared as if the mercenary was before him. She sat cross-legged on the ground with a book in one hand and a small boy curled on her lap. She smiled at Hi'ji as if to say "Look. Look at our son. Isn't he beautiful?" A head shake banished the vision but not the feeling the young man had come to a crossroads. His body swayed back and forth with his thought, as the scribe considered what was unthinkable scant moments before.

Settling down with Momo and raising a family might have been no more than idle fancy. Yet he couldn't help but wonder what sort of life they would have under the rule of a man like King Enteofushia. No matter which path he chose, Hi'ji could not be assured of reaching that happy state shown in the vision; however, he was certain it could never happen in a world where His Majesty stood triumphant.

"I don't have access to an archival copy," he said in a voice grown husky with the struggle. "But I can draw you a copy from memory."

(-)

"Lord Seagrave's words were proven true a score of days later as war arrived on Ostia's doorstep," the narrator's voice intoned as the scene shifted yet again.

Resembling the dolphin it was named for, the twin-seated fighter skimmed across the palace rooftop in pursuit of an enemy broom rider. Pulses of energy spewed from sagitta cannons, pulverizing slate tiles as their target eluded them with ease. A stray pulse struck a gargoyle that had been installed during the reign of Vespertatia's first king. The ancient guardian shattered under the impact and fragments showered down adding to the debris that littered the plaza below.

Once past the roof's eve, the rider dove towards the ground causing the less maneuverable dolphin to overshoot its quarry. From the relative safety of his post, Hi'ji watched as the rider rolled and then sped after the fighter, neatly reversing the roles of hunter and hunted.

'Must be a Valkyrie,' Hi'ji decided as both airship and rider zoomed out of sight. 'Wonder if she was the one Lord Seagrave is supposed to meet?'

Due to the constraints of time and the presence of Total World's remaining leadership, the chancellor's plan had been ruthlessly simple. Using hidden passages marked on the floor plans, King Enteofushia's ancestors were meticulous record keepers if nothing else, Lord Seagrave would spirit the princess out of her room to the exit Hi'ji was conveniently guarding. However, the lord was overdue and His Majesty's personal transport had departed the palace some time ago.

Another broom rider, or perhaps the same one as Hi'ji couldn't tell from the full armor worn, flew cautiously above the plaza as if searching for something. His grip on the obsolete blaster tightened as the knight landed. Stepping into the open, his knees felt like jelly.

"Hold it right there!" the Valkyrie ordered as the tip of her lance pointed straight at him.

"No, you hold it witch!" Momo stood at the top of steps leading down to the plaza. A sagitta launcher rested on the mercenary's shoulder and its muzzle was trained on the enemy knight. "Drop your weapon!"

'Momo? No!' Hi'ji thought and then dashed between the two women.

"Don't shoot!" he desperately cried. "She's here to help!"

"The battle's addled your wits scribe," the rabbit-earned woman remarked. "Move back."

Turning to face the Valkyrie, Hi'ji demanded to know why she landed.

"I'm looking for somebody," the warrior carefully answered.

"Who?"

"The Lord High Treasurer."

"What?" Momo yelled. "Are you saying the king's minister is plotting against His Majesty?"

"His lordship should have arrived already," Hi'ji said, expecting a sagitta bolt to slam into his back at any second. "I think something's gone wrong."

"Hi'ji?" Pain interwoven with disbelief filled the mercenary's voice. "What are you doing?"

What was he doing? Conspiring with the enemy, kidnapping the princess and a host of lesser crimes would condemn the young man to a swift death. Yet what choice was there? Forced from his cloistered world of manuscripts, parchment and ink, Hi'ji had witnessed the benefits of the king's "enlightened" rule: lashings for minor offenses, ruinous taxes that left families to choose between food or medicine and imprisonment of those who dared criticize the crown. The vision had been but the final act propelling him down this path.

"My duty to Her Majesty," he answered. "King Enteofushia has broken faith with his subjects and I can no longer consider him my sovereign."

"Do you realize what you're saying?" Momo asked. "This talk is treasonous."

"You're right," he agreed. "Do as you must, but answer me this … is a mercenary bound to an employer who has broken their contract?"

Silence.

"You've complained about not being paid these past few months," Hi'ji mentioned. "Did the king admit that the treasury was empty and he couldn't pay?"

"I saw his personal airship take off a short while ago. Do you know if he's still in the city?" Though it felt like twisting a knife in a wound, he refused to let the pressure off. "Or has he fled and left us to continue fighting?"

"Get … get out of here!" Momo shouted. Like a sagitta bolt, the Valkyrie raced through the archway he had been guarding. "And I don't ever want to see you again!"

A bitter taste filled the young man's mouth. He had lost her and any chance to make that vision of a happy family come true. Hi'ji wanted to stay and plead his case, but feared to lose the Valkyrie in the labyrinthine halls of the palace so he chased after the mage knight. His worry proved baseless as a trail of unconscious guards led directly to her. Inside the throne room, the armored woman was bent over Lord Seagrave's prostrate form. Bands of energy swept over the chancellor, their crackle sounded loudly as they inflicted pain with every movement the old man made.

"Have you ever used a lance before?" the woman asked and Hi'ji could only shake his head.

"This button fires and this one activates the shield," she explained before handing the weapon over. "Cover me. I'm going to remove the restraining spell."

Despite its size, the lance handled easily. Compared to this high tech weapon, the blasters issued to Ostia's volunteer defenders seemed like clumsy relics of an earlier age. Echoes carried from the main hall, alerting him to the arrival of a squad of fellow guards. A bolt dropped the first man through and Hi'ji had just enough time to activate the shield as the remaining five opened fire. Sagitta bolts sizzled as they struck harmlessly against the deflexio shield. More and more of the missiles spat at him and while they did no damage, he was pinned down by the barrage. From behind a "ker-thunk" sounded, sending the chill of fear down the inexperienced warrior's spine. A bolt streaked overhead and landed among his attackers, enveloping them in a brilliant flash. Five more bodies sprawled unconsciously on the throne room's floor. Whirling about, he found Momo reloading her launcher.

"Keep your eyes forward scribe!" the mercenary ordered. "I'll watch your rear."

Hi'ji quickly turned back to the entrance, as much to hide a suddenly red face as to continue protecting the Valkyrie. Unaccustomed to the rough and tumble language the mercenaries used, he had been shocked by some of their cruder remarks. And while Momo never stooped to vulgarity, the rabbit-woman's comments were often open to more than one interpretation. Blushing, he asked "Why are you here?"

"I called my CO after you left; it appears you were right," she responded. "The enemy fleets have us surrounded and the king is missing. All of the mercenary companies have decided to negotiate a ceasefire."

Moments later, the Valkyrie helped Lord Seagrave to a sitting position. "I've failed," the chancellor moaned. "Those Total World fanatics took Princess Asuna to the Gravekeeper's Palace."

"Then milord needn't worry," the Valkyrie confidently replied. "That's where Ala Rubra went."

"You don't understand," the elderly mage said. "They intend to use her to summon the Life Maker."

"Pffft!"

Three heads turned to regard Momo, whose face wore an expression of disgust. "The Life Maker is just a myth, a story," she scoffed. "Nothing more than a metaphor for the forces that created the world."

"I wouldn't be too sure of that," the Valkyrie said and then pointed to a window that faced the Gravekeeper's Palace. A sphere, shinning like a miniature sun, had engulfed the tower and was expanding outward. "That's no metaphor."

"My God." Hi'ji had never seen the like before. "What is that thing?"

"The Life Maker," Lord Seagrave whispered. Words of an ancient hymn fell from the minister's lips, "I am the Beginning; I am the end. I am the maker of life, the source from whence all sprang. Now, I am become death, the destroyer of worlds."

A dread fascination came over the party as the remainder of the isles surrounding the tower disappeared within the sphere. A hundred or more warships, their forward shields brilliant in the morning light, converged upon the Gravekeeper's Palace. More and more shields materialized until the sphere was contained within a pyramid of force. The sphere reached the inner most rocks encircling the palace and then ground to a halt as the shields held firm.

"It's not enough," the chancellor said. "They can't contain it."

Hi'ji felt a hand grasp his as the struggle continued.

"C'mon idiot," the Valkyrie muttered as one hand grasped the other and both rose to her lips. A silver band upon the warrior's finger glowed softly as the woman whispered, "I'll never forgive you if you mess this up."

Time itself seemed frozen in the moment as opposing forces held each other in balance. Suddenly, the sphere elongated like a balloon squeezed within a child's fist. Energy punched through the pyramid's apex and rocketed heavenward. Only when the last trace of it had vanished did Hi'ji feel the cheek lying against his arm. Wordlessly, the young man moved to place an arm about Momo's waist.

"Why the long face milord?" the Valkyrie asked.

"I am worried about Princess Asuna," the chancellor answered. "I have no idea if she still lives or …"

"Nagi Springfield is alive," the armored knight assured them. "And if that idiot's alive then the princess is too."

(-)

"Ostia was dead," proclaimed the narrator as the camera panned the barren waste that had once been a lush, green valley.

"Within days of the battle's end, the proud city crashed to the ground." Islands littered the landscape, some tilted up like the desiccated bones of a leviathan.

("It still looks like that," Craig muttered.)

"Though the majority of its citizens survived the calamity, more than a million were made refugees in the space of a single afternoon." Streams of people, thousands long, surged across the desert like a mighty flood. "Their numbers overwhelmed nearby provinces already stretched to the limit by the recently ended war."

"Messembria swiftly took control of the remaining islands," the narrator said as scores of mage knights, dressed in burnished armor, marched through city streets, "establishing Ostia as a protectorate."

The pictured switched to a courtroom where three, robed men sat behind a wooden table while another man, in a prison grey jumpsuit, stood before them and quivered in fear.

("Isn't that the guy from the bookstore?" Christian asked.

"The one with the fur mag?" Aisha replied.

"I think you're right," Lynn said. "Benji or something wasn't it?")

"Members of the former government, regardless of their position, were rounded up and hauled before tribunals authorized by the Council of Mages' security ministry."

The prisoner fell to the floor, pleading, as guards approached to drag the wretched fellow away.

"Yet not all was bleak," the narrator continued. "For even in the desert, a flower may bloom."

Harsh sunlight, let in via an open flap, sliced through the tent's darkness. A nervous Hi'ji Zosho paced back and forth. Gone were the royal uniform and archivist's robe, replaced by well-worn tunic and trousers. "What if she's not here milord?" the young man fretfully asked.

Seated on a stool, dressed in equally plain clothing, Stanley Seagrave took a hand-carved pipe from between his teeth. "I'm no longer a lord," the former minister reminded. "I'm just another faceless refugee."

"As for your concern," Stanley pointed down to the ermine curled at his feet, "Ernest here confirmed your young lady is still around."

(Hi'ki peered closely at the white fabric lying in front of the ermine. What little there was of it was covered with lacey frills and reminded him of … a blush slowly rose in the teen's cheeks.)

"But there are still a lot of people out there," Hi'ji countered. "What if they can't find her?"

"What, what and what," the older man repeated in irritation. "You worry too much Hi'ji. You made your peace with the young lady after thinking you'd lost her. Have a little faith man."

"Fu, fu, fu," a new voice replied. Another man, with head covered by a hood, stooped to enter the tent. "Have a little faith indeed good scribe."

"Master Imma!" Hi'ji's face brightened. "Any word?"

"Gateau reports success," Albireo answered to the anxious man's immense relief. "She'd been about to sign a 10 year commitment to one of the Alliance's Labor Service Units."

"Is … is she okay?"

"So I would imagine," the hooded mage answered. "You can see for yourself since she's outside."

Hi'ji had never performed a shundo in his life, but the scribe moved so quickly that only the swaying tent flap marked his progress.

"Momo!" he shouted while charging towards the surprised woman. Throwing his arms about her, he began showering her with kisses, stopping at times to swear his eternal love and to never leave her. Reluctant at first, she eventually returned his affection with equal intensity until one of the other refugees advised the happy couple to "find a tent!"

(As his father and mother gazed at one another, their expressions shocked Hi'ki. While he understood where babies came from and knew that his parents must have had sex for him to be there, that knowledge left the youngster ill prepared for what he saw. Thankfully, the scene shifted away; however, the teen could no longer think of his parents in the same way as before.

They were real people who had faced real problems, not some entities who sat on high and pontificated on matters without having a clue about them. Perhaps his mother did know how jumbled Hi'ki's emotions got whenever he thought about Nodoka. If nothing else came of this trip, he resolved at least to ask her.)

(-)

"After turning a blind eye to several discrepancies, no doubt encouraged by a fatter purse," the narrator explained, "Ostia's port master authorized Aricia's Blessing to depart. The koi ship pulled away from the dock and headed north in accordance with the flight plan on file."

Due to crowded conditions below deck, several non-manifested passengers escaped above. Hi'ji stood on the aft deck and watched the remaining islands of Ostia, his home, slip over the horizon as Vespertatia's last Lord High Treasurer grumbled over the expense of bribing the new government's officials.

"There it goes," Momo remarked as the woman leaned back against him while Hi'ji's arms tightened about his partner's waist. "Will you miss Ostia?"

"I miss it already," he answered with a touch of sadness. "But that Ostia exists only in my memories."

"You can still go with the others," the lop-eared mercenary said. "To the Old World I mean."

"Drat this blasted wind!" Stanley cursed as the old mage gave up on lighting his pipe. "She's right Hi'ji; you're more than welcome to join us in exile. Both of you."

"Thanks again for the offer sir," he politely responded, "but we all know Momo won't survive there long."

Old World tales of beautiful women brought from the fairy realms only to vanish were all too true. Without specialized magic, far beyond an unemployed scribe and mercenary's means, the Magic World's native inhabitants would quickly perish in the low magic, other world.

"You don't need to worry about me," the woman claimed.

"I've never abandoned a woman after making a pactio with her," he maintained, "and I'm not about to start now."

"And how many women have you made a pactio with?" she playfully teased.

"Only one," he happily replied. "The only one I'll ever need."

"Days later, as the Blessing was less than an hour from the Hellas border," Rakan's voice continued, "a black hulled vessel appeared to the south."

"We've got company," Momo announced as the group of exiles rushed to the starboard gunwale.

"Pirates?" Hi'ji wondered.

"Most likely an Alliance patrol boat," Stanley replied.

"Alecto class frigate if I'm not mistaken," the mercenary observed. "Probably a DE-2B or possibly a 2C."

"Are they dangerous?" the pipe smoking mage asked.

"Two, large sagittta canon forward, one aft and a full complement of Ares anti-shield missiles," the woman recited. "I'd say so."

Stanley sent his familiar scampering down to the lower deck and when the ermine returned it was accompanied by a blonde giant wearing an ear to ear grin. "What's the ruckus?" Jack asked.

Hi'ji pointed and said, "Patrol boat."

Jack rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I wonder if they know who this ship is registered too."

The approaching vessel's shields materialized almost as if waiting for that question. "I guess they do," Jack said before pulling a pactio card out. "**Adeat**!"

A blade nearly as tall as the Ala Rubra hero appeared. "What do you think you're doing you maniac?" Stanley shouted.

"Keeping you and the others out of Cerberus Infinity or worse," the warrior answered.

"I've heard what the ship breaker did to the Audacia," Momo said. "Knocking down an Alliance ship might start another war."

"Have you got a better suggestion?" Jack asked.

Momo pulled out her own card. "**Adeat**!"

Hefting the canon on her shoulder, the mercenary put her cheek to the smooth barrel and then rolled the weapon down to be able to gaze thru its site. Her breathing slowed and then stilled as the gathered watchers held their collective breath.

KABOOM!

Air rippled as a wave of force sped towards the frigate. Her artifact's stasis field enveloped the patrol ship and held it motionless, allowing the koi ship and its cargo of refugees to easily escape. With the cannon still perched on her shoulder, Momo watched as the battleship faded from view.

"That's mighty fine shooting little lady," Jack remarked as the hulking warrior stowed his own artifact. "I'm surprised that a tiny, slip of girl like you can sling that big cannon around."

"Considering who my partner is," the rabbit-eared woman replied, "this is nothing."

Mortified by her comment's implication, Hi'ji turned several shades of red as Jack slapped him on the back and let out a hearty "Har, har, har!"

Finally setting her weapon down, Momo faced the still chortling warrior. "By the way Master Rakan," she said with a perfectly straight face, "I'm wondering who did you partner with to get such an exceptionally big sword?"

(-)

Toes daintily dipped into the water and finding the temperature to their liking were joined by feet and ankles. Aisha Coryel, after reassuring herself that the towel was securely in place, led the party to a large rock over which water rushed in a number of tiny falls. The woman's blonde hair extended nearly to her waist, pointing arrow-like to linen sheathed hips. Hips whose rhythmic swaying bewitched the librarian until a hard slap on his shoulder broke the enchantment.

"Like what you see?" Craig asked softly so as not to be over heard. While the flustered teen sputtered, the tall bounty hunter chuckled and added, "They're just as nice coming as they are going."

"Lynn and I will go around to the far side," the sheep-woman announced. "You boys can stay here."

From the look in Aisha's eyes, Hi'ki knew that an unpleasant fate awaited any "boy" who dared to follow. The pair had no more than rounded the corner when Aisha shrieked.

"EEEK!"

This was immediately followed by Rakan's "Hello ladies. Care to join me for a drink?"

"Pervert!" the bounty hunter shouted and then retreated.

"Change in plan," the beet-faced woman explained as Lynn struggled not to burst out laughing. "We'll stay on this side."

Jack Rakan, wearing nothing more than a huge grin, lounged on a rock as a fine mist sprayed over him. "What's wrong with your friend?" the man asked. "She doesn't seem very social."

"The heat's made Aisha a little prickly," Craig answered. "Mind if we join you?"

"Pull up a rock," the brawny man replied and then took a sip from a white ceramic cup. Hi'ki noticed a tray containing more cups and a matching white flask was nearby. "How'd you like the movie kid?"

"I found it very interesting Mister Rakan," he cautiously answered. "My parents never spoke about their lives before settling in Dracogenia."

"Where did that footage come from anyway?" Christian asked.

"From Hi'ji Zosho's memories," Jack told them. "Had to use specialized equipment; you wouldn't believe the expense involved."

"About the 200,000 drachma," Hi'ki started but the former mercenary shook his head.

"Forget it kid. Consider it on the house."

Hi'ki and the bounty hunters gazed at each other in astonishment.

"I know I have a rep as a greedy mercenary," Jack chuckled. "But I've made more money that I can spend in a lifetime."

"It's mostly a game anyway," the older man related. "Growing up, my family rarely had two drachma to rub together. So my brothers and I would joke around quoting outrageous prices whenever we asked each other to do something. The habit followed me when I entered the pits as a gladiator. I was never so surprised when people started saying 'okay'."

"But why would my father make that film?" the teen wondered aloud.

"I'm no mind reader," Jack remarked, "but maybe your dad thought somebody might want to know about him one day."

Hi'ki considered Mister Rakan's comment. If true, he thought, then the map was less about a checked out book and more a guide for a son in search of answers. And about the book …

"You wanted to purchase the book Mister Rakan," the librarian said. "Why?"

"Let's just say that it was a gift from somebody close," Jack answered. "How your dad got hold of it I haven't a clue."

"You can keep it then." Before either of his companions could object, he added, "However, I'd like to borrow the book long enough to scan it into the library's online collection."

"Done," Jack agreed and then drained the cup's contents.

"Even after hearing about your childhood," Christian commented, "I still find it hard to imagine the great Jack Rakan having problems."

"Of course I have problems," the huge man laughed. "Over enthusiastic fans, evil organizations bent on world destruction … I even have women problems like you and your friend. Hell, even like the kid."

"How?" Hi'ji asked in shock. He had never mentioned Nodoka to any of them. Could their host read minds despite denying it? "How did you know?"

"All men have those problems at some time," Jack answered. "Here, have a drink."

Putting a cup in his hands, Rakan filled it with a clear liquid with a sugary-sweet aroma. "Nothing like drinking with an old man to forget a woman.

"But I don't want to forget," the teen said. Vividly he recalled Nodoka's smile, the way her eyes shyly peeked through bangs that fell across her forehead, even the feel of smooth skin as their hands brushed, as if she had been there moments ago. "I want to remember her always."

"Ha! Well said librarian," his host remarked while filling cups for the others. "Bottom's up."

Craig took a sniff and then made a face. "Should he," the hunter gestured towards Hi'ki, "be having this?"

"The kid's got a man's problems doesn't he?" Jack asked in return. "Then he's ready for a man's drink."

(-)

**A/N: This chapter is a companion to chapter 3 where Nodoka experiences Asuna's past as a princess. **

**The chapter title and heading are from the poem "Love Among the Ruins" by Robert Burns. The quote "Now I have become death, the destroyer of worlds" is from the Bhagavad Gita. **

**I wonder if stealing underwear is something all male ermines do. Perhaps Ernest Chamomile emigrated to the Mundus Vertus with his master.**

**Till next time.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Hi there. Surprised? Me too. Little did I know when I posted chapter 13 that it would be the better part of year before I'd get 14 done. Part of this stemmed from the manga winding down and part from my own procrastination. However, to be fair there have been several events that have complicated my life the months since the last chapter. On the positive side, I do have a large part of the next chapter ready and should, cross my fingers, have it out before too long.**

**Before continuing, I have to give credit to MakuhariFan_01. Besides his general help, he also provided an important scene near the end of the chapter. I had been discussing plot development and he sent the scenes between Tamaki and Doubek at the apartment that made me go "Yes! That's perfect!" After asking (okay, pleading) if I could use it, he graciously consented and it appears with a few, minor alterations. Of course, I have also incorporated ideas he developed in 'Ala Alba in the World of Magic' as regards to Nodoka's use of her artifact and Akira's powers.**

**Ken Akamatsu owns Negima and its characters. It has been a pleasure following their adventures over the years and if we're lucky, very, very lucky, there might one day be a continuation. Until then there's always fan fiction.**

**The following conventions are used: "**words**", '**thoughts**', '**_reading_**', -**telepathy**- and "spells". **

**Lost Little Girl**

**Tell me who are you? I think you know what to do. Impossible? Yes but it's true –** The Doors

(-)

**Girls' Dormitory, Mahora Japan**

After delivering that morning's papers, and explaining to her boss that Friday would be her last day, Asuna quietly entered her dorm room. A pair of lumps, separated by a gulf greater that their apparent distance, indicated that both of her roommates were still in bed. Silently she slipped into the bathroom for a shower before dressing.

In less than a week, she'd return to the Mundus Magicus. Only this time, it wouldn't be as either a tourist or wanted terrorist. She, Kagurazaka Asuna, girl voted most likely to end up working as a bar hostess, was the princess of a fairytale kingdom.

'What a joke,' she thought as warm water sputtered and then finally squirted from the showerhead. 'I don't know the first thing about being a princess. What if I do something wrong? Will my subjects frown at me or laugh?'

Similar thoughts tumbled through the girl's mind as the shower slowly leeched her tension away. She would not be facing this alone. Negi would be with her, unfortunately so too would Ayaka. "You don't even know how to fold a napkin," the class rep had said. "How are you going to host a dozen nobles like Marquis Rallentando without offending them?" Asuna did realize that Ayaka's experience could be helpful, but still resented the class rep's forced entry into the group. Yet regardless of the other girl's faults, and there were many, Ayaka had never failed to be there when she needed a friend.

And speaking of friends, there were a few individuals on the other side Asuna hoped to count on as well. Princess Theodora, Grandmistress Seres and Senator Ricardo Cordoba had been her strongest allies in the Mundus Magicus. With their assistance, she might be able to pull this off.

"Just don't hold your breath," Asuna warned herself.

Towel wrapped securely in place, she stepped out of the bathroom to find Konoka patiently waiting for her turn. "Shhh," the dark-haired girl mimed before pointing over a shoulder to the futon where Setsuna still laid curled up on.

Asuna padded over to the dresser and then held her breath while opening the drawer containing her underclothes. Despite Negi having his own apartment on the other side of the campus, she still feared finding Chamo-kun nested in her lingerie. Finding no sign of the pervin' ermine, she exhaled and reached for one of her new pairs of panties when Setsuna muttered "please."

"Please," the shinmei-ryu softly pleaded while twisting beneath the covers. "Don't."

Concerned, Asuna bent over the prostrate swordswoman. "Hey," she gently said while reaching to shake the girl's shoulder.

Arms suddenly flung around her as Setsuna cried "Don't leave me!" and pulled her down in a fervent embrace. Desperately she tried to call the other's name but only managed "Setsu-mmmmm" as lips clamped against hers. "Mmmm-mm-mm-mmm."

In any other place, Asuna would have extricated herself without incurring further embarrassment, but this was Mahora. Light from the bathroom poured over the tightly clenched couple as Konoka opened the door. "Do you know where my shampoo is?" her roommate asked and then stared in open-mouthed shock a moment before hastily retreating with an "Excuse me."

(-)

Trapped between her sullen roommates, the trip to Satsuki's Bao Zi was more than a little awkward. Particularly since neither of the other girls were willing to talk to her using more than one or two syllables. It was so bad she wanted to thwack both of them with her harisen. 'Maybe a good breakfast will improve all of our moods,' she reasoned.

A large sign proclaiming '_Under New Management'_ was draped over the lunch wagon, but by the crowd lining up Asuna could tell that Satsuki's cooking was as popular as ever. All of the tables in the nearby patio were filled with students, including several from her class. The sports quartet sat around a table while Nodoka and Yue shared one with Chisame and Anya. She was seriously considering ordering to go when she noticed Ayaka waving. Next to the class rep sat the nobleman from Hellas.

"Good morning your Highness," Marcato loudly proclaimed, earning a decidedly frosty glare from said princess.

"Good grief!" Asuna exclaimed.

"It creeps me out when people do that," she explained. "Can we forget about all that 'your Highness' stuff?"

"But what would you have me call you?" the perplexed noble asked.

"Since you're supposed to be an old friend," she replied, "why don't you try Asuna-san?"

"Isn't that overly familiar your High …" Marcato stopped as veins twitched on the regal forehead.

From the look in her classmates' eyes, all three braced for the onslaught. Wearing a diplomatic smile completely out of nature, Asuna caught them by surprise with "It would please me for you to call me by name."

"Of course your High … um, of course Asuna-san."

Ayaka gaped at her in wonder as the silverware on their table began to vibrate. "What the …?"

Clunk. Clunk.

Glancing up, Asuna caught the gleam of sunlight off metal as another of the giant robots Chao unleashed during last summer's festival clanked towards the Bao Zi. Marcato reached behind his back and pulled out a blade as long as the marquis was tall, seeming from thin air.

"Stay behind me your … Asuna-san," he shouted as the giant robot's mouth opened wide.

"Scatter!" Ayaka shouted in warning and in seconds only the young nobleman was left in the small square.

A ruby-red beam shot from the monstrous mouth, bathing the square in its ruddy light. As the light faded, the marquis, clad in nothing but a skimpy pair of briefs, stood with blade held high. "Villain!" Marcato cried as the robot pushed through a line of trees. "Have at thee!"

Limbs groaned and then snapped as the mech advanced, but before the swordsman could rush forward Asuna shouted, "Marcato-san! Wait!"

"This is our responsibility," the princess said. "Keep any bystanders from harm. Setsuna!"

"Hai!" the swordswoman replied.

"Distract that thing."

Setsuna unsheathed the nodachi and leapt high into the air. Evening Calm sliced downward, releasing a wave of ki that rocked the robot on its mechanical heels. Meanwhile, Asuna scanned the mech, looking for a point to start attacking with her cancelling abilities.

'Arrgh! There are too many,' she thought in frustration. 'Guess we do this the other way.'

During last year's battle with Chao's Martian army, Takahata-sensei had used kanka to disable a robot long enough to seal it. Remembering the warning not to damage its head, the red-headed princess gathered energy about her and flung it forward. As if struck by a battering ram, the giant robot toppled back into the trees and sent more branches flying.

'Now what do we do about the sealing spell?' Asuna wondered while readying another blast.

-We're working on it,- sounded in her head.

'Wha … who?'

-It's me, Nodoka,- the thought replied. -Yue is checking her artifact to find the spell needed.-

(-)

Lying flat on the ground behind an ornamental planter, Madoka glanced over the top just as Asuna released another bolt at the giant robot. She quickly ducked back down as the blast struck the metal monster. Beside her, Misa lay with arms protectively covering the girl's head. Sakurako lay beyond Misa, but the red-head was watching the action without fear of the rubble being flung about. Only a stray leaf, showing green against copper-colored locks, had stuck in her fellow cheerleader's hair, so perhaps the lack of concern was justified.

"Oooh! Nice one Asuna," Sakurako delightedly squealed.

"Misa!" Madoka shouted above the din. "We need to do something!"

Her roommate looked up with an expression that questioned whether Madoka was still in possession of her sanity. "What?"

"We need to do something to help," she answered.

Back in the parking garage when those two thugs had cornered sensei and her, Madoka had made the decision to act rather than react to the danger. Though disgusted by those actions, her quick thinking had saved both of their lives. It was the same with Ishikawa-sensei's lessons. Surviving the increasingly outrageous scenarios was a matter of swiftly choosing a course of action to deal with them.

"Are you crazy?" Misa replied. "We don't have any weapons."

That was true, but did it mean they were defenseless? When given the choice to stay or leave Mahora, the headmaster had said that each of them had a talent that could be used. Sakurako was blessed with phenomenal luck, she had that Magicus Augeo thing, and Misa … well … Misa hadn't demonstrated a talent, but that didn't matter. They were a team and Misa was the glue that held them together. Yet what help could they offer? Cheer their classmates on?

Madoka considered that last thought and began to re-evaluate some of the odd events that occurred after Professor Springfield's arrival: the dodge ball match against the high school team, Negi-kun's final round at the summer tournament and even the battle with the witiko back in California.

"That's just what we'll do!" she announced and then gazed down at Misa's uncomprehending stare. "Have you got your pom poms?"

(-)

A wind swept up splintered remains of the trees and set them spinning around the robot's head. From the opposite side of the patio, a fiery streak flew into the midst of the debris and set it ablaze. Combined with the churning winds it created a veritable whirlwind of fire.

Asuna blinked against the sudden blast, and when her eyes opened again, she stood upon a balcony that overlooked impossibly tall cliffs. Far below, armies clashed upon a wide plain that stretched away into the distance. A haze lay over the battlefield and her noise wrinkled from the acrid smell of smoke. Beams of light flashed from weapons, decimating the opposing forces who marched on in an inexhaustible wave. Unheedful of the terrifying toll exacted, they continued forward as if mindless puppets dancing for their master's enjoyment.

A mailed fist clenched the pommel of a sword belted at her side. 'Caliburn!' she realized with a start. For 26 centuries the Teotanasians wielded this blade in their battle against the Mage of the Beginning. Days ago, Asuna had drawn upon the memories of her ancestors to save Yuna's life. Could this be another one of those memories?

"Your Highness," a voice cried. "Your Highness."

Asuna, or her ancestress, turned at the words and she was shocked to find herself facing Albeiro Imma. The mage, companion to Nagi Springfield, looked remarkably the same as he appeared at the tournament. However, his smug expression was gone entirely, replaced by one of grave concern. He knelt before her.

"Your Highness," he said again, "General Vikarna sends word that the army is at its limit. He asks that you flee the city before we are overrun by the Dark Evangel's minions."

'Eva-san!' Asuna thought as her anger rose. 'What's that pipsqueak doing?' It was then she remembered being told of the undead mage's attack on Argyre by some of the Valkyries accompanying the group back to Mesembria when the Council of Mages wanted to question them about the gateports.

'That was over a century ago,' she recalled. 'Geez, how old is Imma-san anyways?'

"We should be able to reach the rest of the evacuees by nightfall," Al said.

In a deep voice, more like Kugimiya-san's than her own, Asuna replied, "That will not be possible."

For once it seemed the unflappable mage was surprised.

"My place is here, defending my people," she explained. "I am a Teotanasian and I'll not flinch from this duty."

"Come good priest," she said as Caliburn slipped soundlessly from its scabbard. "Let us join the battle and see if this self-styled Queen of Woe is stronger than the Life Giver."

'You go girl!' Asuna wanted to cheer, but found herself being shaken instead. Another blink and Ayaka's face stared back at hers.

"Asuna!" the class rep shouted.

"What?" she yelled back in annoyance.

In response, Ayaka grabbed her by the chin and turned her head to the side. The robot loomed over them. Its hand was stretched out but Lord Rallentando's blade blocked it. The noble's muscles trembled as Marcato strained to keep the metal hand at bay. "That!" Ayaka snapped.

"**Zantetsuzen!**"

From overhead, Setsuna's attack slashed down upon the robot's arm, shearing the hand off just below the wrist. Marcato jumped to the side as it fell with a clang.

With a calm worthy of her shinmei-ryu trainer, Asuna drew the opposing forces of mana and ki together and let loose as a bolt of kanka that sent the robot flying nearly 30 meters through the air before crashing to the ground. A main must have burst from the force as water began to bubble up from the pavement. The robot tried to regain its feet, but seemed unable to gain any traction. Like a network of vines, rivulets of water scaled its metal legs.

'Bookstore,' Asuna thought. 'Are you still there? What's going on?'

-I'm here,- Nodoka responded. -Akira-san's trying something. Can you keep that thing occupied a little longer?-

'With pleasure.'

From behind, Asuna heard Misa, Madoka and Sakurako cheering her on as she let loose another blast. Energy surged forward, slammed into the robot and knocked it on its back once more. Dozens of watery tendrils branched out and disappeared into gaps between its metal sheets, working their way to delicate circuitry. An unnatural chill settled across the patio, turning breath white and depositing a thin layer of frost on their opponent.

Anya's incantation sliced through the frigid air, "**Flagrantia Rubicans!**" Flames raced towards the downed robot and engulfed it. Steel groaned in protest against the fiery assault. Once more Asuna struck with the kanka and the metal giant's lower extremities shattered.

'Now Yue!' Nodoak's thought echoed. Armed with the open Orbis Sensualium Pictus, Yue dashed towards the machine and began reciting a sealing spell.

Above the carnage, a large hologram of a smiling Kazumi floated. "Ladies and gentlemen," boomed the red-headed reporter's voice. "The Festival Committee wishes to thank Class 1A for this morning's entertainment."

'Entertainment? Ha!' Asuna thought a she skirted the metallic hand and walked over to where Yue stood.

"Signups for the various competitions begin tomorrow and don't forget the final day's event," the festival's publicity chairman continued. "It's sponsored once again by the Yukihiro Group and I'm told it will be even better this year."

"Better?" Asuna overheard a bystander ask. "What could be better than a Martian invasion with giant mechs?"

"Ninja pirates," someone answered. "Space Nazis," another suggested and this was quickly followed by "A zombie apocalypse."

"How long will your spell hold?" she asked Yue.

"Long enough for campus security to arrive and cart it away," the apprentice witch answered.

"Blast that Chao; this is getting tiresome," she angrily declared. "I wonder what set this one off."

"Here's your answer." Setsuna stepped forward with a strip of paper clenched in a fist. "Somebody activated it with this talisman."

"Who was the target I wonder," Asuna thought aloud.

"Isn't it obvious your, uh, Asuna-san." Still clad in only his underwear, and drawing admiring glances from several females in the area, Marcato approached them. "Some ill-meaning churl set that giant golem upon you."

"Marcato-san," Asuna said while attempting to concentrate solely on the young man's face, "I wish to thank you for keeping that thing off me."

"Think nothing of it," Marcato replied as the young warrior squared his shoulders and gazed proudly back.

Despite being heroic, the marquis' pose had a few unintended results judging from the number of gasps it provoked. Poor Yue's face turned a brilliant red and Asuna felt heat rush into her own cheeks at the sight. Comments like "Oh my God! Is that her boyfriend?" and "I'm in love!" didn't help the situation nor did the fact that the normally stoic Setsuna seemed affected as well. But Marcato blithely carried on unaware of the situation.

"Sakurazaki-san isn't it?" he asked.

The swordswoman tore her gaze back to his face. "Yes Rallentando-dono."

"I was impressed by your technique," the nobleman said. "I've not seen anything like it before."

"It's called shinmei-ryu," the still mildly flustered girl answered. "It was developed to battle demons."

"Demons?" Interest shone in Marcato's eyes. "Perhaps I should learn this shinmei-ryu. I'd like to eliminate every last one of those vile creatures."

Asuna could see the instantaneous change the noble's careless remark wrought in her classmate. The swordswoman's flush intensified, but for another reason entirely.

"If you'll excuse me," Setsuna said before turning and stalking away.

"I don't understand Asuna-san," the confused nobleman said. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Yeah," she replied as a hand reached behind her head to scratch at a non-existent itch. "Kind of."

(-)

**Megalo-Mesembria, Mundus Magicus**

Silently gazing through tinted windows, Tamaki noted that few vehicles came near the limousine so conspicuous in displaying the Mage Council's coat of arms. Even through the darkened panes, she could see the tell-tale shimmer of the protective enchantments encircling the air car.

Sparing a glance over at the aged mage who had bought her contract, Tamaki was amazed by how serious Doubek appeared; quite unlike his almost comical expression upon walking out of the bedroom this morning. Unable to find a comfortable position on the couch, the dragon-girl had pushed a coffee table to one side and spread her blanket upon the floor. She woke to the man's curses as his shins collided with the displaced piece of furniture. Even in the darkened room, she could see his face go pale upon noting that her nightshirt extended no further than the top of her tail.

"There's an extra robe in the bedroom," he had mentioned while carefully picking his way to the kitchen, all the while gazing anywhere but in her direction. Doubek's embarrassed reaction, so different from what she learned to expect of men, brought an amused grin to her face.

After putting on the robe that smelled strongly of its owner, Tamaki entered the kitchen to find that the old man had placed an assortment of vegetables on the counter and muttered in an unknown language as he rifled through several drawers before pulling out a strange device.

"Here," the man said as he placed the utensil in her hand and then pulled open another cabinet.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" she had asked.

"Peel the potatoes," he offhandedly answered while getting out a heavy skillet whose best days had been long ago.

Scratching her head in bewilderment, Tamaki replied "Fine. What are potatoes?"

With her previous culinary experience limited to tossing a pouch into an auto-cook unit, her owner stepped Tamaki through peeling and grating the brown-skinned vegetables. She also learned that like some animals, the thing Doubek called an "onion" had defenses against those who sought to devour it.

Once the vegetables were formed into patties, the old man placed them in the skillet to fry. "What is that you're cooking?" she asked as the aroma set the girl's stomach to gurgling.

"They're called Bramboraky," Doubek informed her. "Meat was a rare commodity where I grew up, so my family ate a lot of potatoes."

Though they would never beat a juicy hunk of meat, the Bramboraky made an adequate breakfast; especially when topped by other oddities called "sour cream" and "cherry preserves."

They had spent the morning shopping, first for a new, longer nightgown and then for food at a place called a delicatessen. The next stop was at a large, circular building surrounded by an arbor of cherry trees. Doubek walked towards the building, carrying a paper wrapped bundle while the dragon-girl followed behind with a wicker basket in hand. Stepping into the interior was like wading into a sea of white.

"What is this place?" Tamaki asked.

"It's an image chamber," Doubek answered as he set his package down. "Councilors use it to take a break from the city when they can't afford to be gone for long."

"Let me demonstrate," he offered. In a louder voice, the man said, "Elysian Sub-Continent, coordinate 1773832."

The room instantly charged in appearance, resembling a plain covered with short, brown-colored grass.

"Why did you bring me here?" a suddenly suspicious Tamaki asked.

"If we're going to work together, I need to know the limits of your capabilities," the mage explained. "This place provides us both the room and privacy required."

"What capabilities do you speak of?"

"For a start, can you transform into a full dragon?"

Cheeks flushed crimson as she glared at the human. Of those ministra that could transform, Tamaki had taken the longest to achieve her bestial form, much to the young girl's chagrin. "Of course I can!" her offended voice replied.

"Then let's get on with it."

Skin stretched as the bones beneath lengthened in response to a mental command. Flesh turned to rough scales that formed an armor harder than steel. Teeth grew into fangs that could rip through the hide of a tokage while nails became dagger-sharp talons. Standing firmly upon four feet, the dragon proudly roared, "What do you think now!" She was ready for anything except the man's look of disappointment.

"Is that all?" the puny human asked.

All! Anger surged through her every fiber at his disdain; anger that would crush him where he stood. However, Doubek's next comment brought her up short.

"I thought you could achieve more than the initial stage."

"Initial stage?" her voice rumbled in disbelief.

"Yes, all the dragons I've known have an ultimate form," he matter-of-factly answered.

As Tamaki digested that scrap of information, Doubek continued. "I would have thought your previous employer would have shown you how," he remarked. "But perhaps he feared you would grow too powerful."

Powerful. Ultimate form. The words danced a sprightly jig in her mind's eye. "How does one achieve the ultimate form?" rushed from her mouth before she could think.

The corners of the old man's mouth edged upwards. "If you are truly desirous of learning how," Doubek told her, "I can show you."

"Yesss," she answered with a joyous hiss.

Hours slipped by or it seemed to her fatigue clouded mind. Several times she'd been on the verge of admitting defeat only for pride to surge forward, pride and a desire to wreak vengeance upon the ones responsible for her humiliation. An odd vibration, like the sound of stampeding mice, rang in the girl's ears. Starting faintly, the vibration increased in intensity until drowned out by an earth-shaking roar.

Shocked, Tamaki glanced around for the roar's source.

"Marvelous!" Doubek shouted to her bewilderment. "Well done!"

A mirror materialized in response to the mage's hasty incantation. Scales the color of molten gold reflected back from the polished surface. A flame-hued crest soared majestically above the head while eyes gleamed as fiercely as stars in the midnight sky. Exhaustion fled at the image before her. This was power, this was her ultimate form.

"Nothing short of amazing," a tiny voice enthusiastically proclaimed. Tamaki's gaze shifted to the bearded man who was her owner.

'Owner?' she scornfully thought. This was nothing more than an insignificant gnat to be crushed with the merest flick. What need did she have for a gnat?

Without warning, the floor lurched and Tamaki crashed to ground. "What's … what's wrong?"

"You've overtaxed yourself," Doubek explained as the dragon unwillingly shrank back into a small and frail girl. "You managed to hold the form longer than I expected."

Even as bone-weary as she was, eagerness welled up from within. "I need to try again."

"After you get your strength back," the white-haired mage replied while helping her sit up.

"Lidice, Mundus Vetus, coordinates 50 8 40 North 14 12 1 East."

Flat and endless plain instantly transformed into a tree-shaded nook overlooking a cluster of brick houses surrounded by tilled fields. Simple sounds of children laughing, fowl cackling and dogs barking drifted up from the village like the smoke rising from assorted chimneys. So too did scents that roused the sharp edge of hunger. Swiftly Doubek spread out a blanket and began to pull food from the basket.

"More potatoes," Tamaki observed with a distinct lack of excitement.

Doubek grinned in response before slitting the string tied around the butcher paper wrapped package he had carried in earlier. Inside was a roasted tokage leg. "My circumstances are a little better these days."

(-)

Standing in the shower of Doubek's apartment, Tamaki held her eyes closed and let the deliciously hot water run down over her face and body.

She still had what were seriously dangerous thoughts about the need to continue calling Doubek her owner, considering he had taught her how to achieve the ultimate form of a dragon-kin, but at the same time she was not ungrateful. Considering the humiliation and abuse she'd suffered at the hands of her previous owners, what was happening now was more like someone visiting an uncle they didn't particularly like. Despite knowing she was connected to an ongoing investigation in an unknown way, the Megalo-Mesembrian special agent seemed to want her to think of herself, if not necessarily his equal, then at least as a perhaps somewhat reluctant partner.

A ringing sound snapped Tamaki out of such deep thoughts. Doubek answered the telepath device, and soon began raising his voice as he spoke with whoever was on the other line. Though she had expected it, Tamaki still felt herself start when Doubek knocked on the bathroom door.

"Tamaki."

Self-consciously, Tamaki covered her chest. "Yes Sir?"

"I have to go out for a bit. You're welcome to anything in the apartment, within reason, but I ask that you please stay inside, and not go out on the balcony."

Hearing what Doubek said caused Tamaki to start again. 'He's going to leave me here by myself?'

"Yes Sir. I understand." A door opened and closed, and Tamaki knew she was alone.

After finishing her shower, Tamaki quickly dried herself off before putting on the light clothes her owner had purchased earlier that morning.

Down the short hall leading to the apartment's entry, the door, and the prospect of freedom called to her.

'What need have you for an owner who takes off your collar and leaves you alone?'

With a shock like a static charge, Tamaki realized she had her hand on the apartment's doorknob.

'He HAS treated you well, and with respect, and he feels you are trustworthy enough to give him the same in return.'

A scared, frightened little girl, one of Tamaki's shades, screamed at her to run, that freedom was more important than trust. Seeming disappointed in what she was considering, another shade, oddly enough, her friend Koyomi, instead of another version of herself, calmly stood waiting for a decision to be made. Perhaps not so inevitably, Tamaki took her hand away from the doorknob. Backing away, she retreated until she found herself standing in the middle of Doubek's apartment.

Tears began to flow down her cheeks, and Tamaki rubbed at them angrily.

'Am I weak? Is that why Fate-sama hasn't come to try and find me? Ha... have I been abandoned?'

Looking for anything that might distract her from thoughts of self-pity, Tamaki cast about the apartment, settling her eyes on a bookcase placed beside the room's HD viewer. Marching over, she snatched a book off a shelf at random before opening it to the title page.

'_Garden Flowers and How to Grow Them in a Restricted Setting'_

Looking around, Tamaki didn't see any flowers, but did notice a small metallic watering pot on a stand next to the curtains covering the balcony. Without needing to look, she realized Doubek probably did have some flowers outside.

Setting the book back in its place, she began running her eyes along the spines of other books at random.

'_The Iliad'_

'_The Travels of Marco Polo'_

Many of the books contained titles with words she understood, but whose context was lost to her.

'_Legends of the Ala Rubra'_

With a snort, Tamaki turned up her nose. Having no need to delve too deeply into that book's title, she moved down several shelves simply to get away from it.

'_Der Kreigsausbruch: 1 September 1939'_

That book's title, using an archaic dating system, corresponded almost exactly with the start of the war begun by Speaker Katis of Megalo-Mesembria, so she pulled it out and opened it up.

Expecting something else, Tamaki was surprised to see a map of the Mundus Vetus on the inside cover. After turning several more pages, she realized it seemed to be a book about a war which occurred on the Mundus Vetus about the same time as Speaker Katis' war.

Placing the book back on the shelf, Tamaki turned slightly and saw a tiny book, maybe seven-inches tall, and a half-inch thick, squeezed between several other fat books at the end of the shelf. Using her index finger, she reached into the narrow gap and pulled the book out.

'_Lidice: Sacrificial Village'_

'That's the place Doubek took me for lunch today.' Curious, Tamaki opened the book. The first thing she saw very nearly made her loose her lunch. Next to the title-page was a black-and-white picture showing a soldier, holding some kind of a weapon and standing near a wall while looking out over ground strewn thickly with blood-covered bodies.

Dropping the book and falling to her knees, Tamaki struggled to keep her composure between dry-heaves.

'Wh... why would he take me... I mean... it seemed like such a nice place.'

Self-control kept Tamaki from being sick, but morbid curiosity compelled her to pick the book up once more.

(-)

Finished, Tamaki placed the slender volume on her lap and asked herself again why Doubek had done what he did. A chance glance at the wall answered the dragon girl's question. A strangely garbed woman stared back from the framed photograph. Behind the smiling figure stood a wall only too familiar to her; it was the farm wall where nearly 200 men of Lidice had been lined up and then executed.

(-)

Stepping through the door to his apartment, Doubek heard nothing but silence, and felt a pang of worry. "Tamaki?"

"I'm in here."

Feeling relief, Doubek closed and locked the door, then carried several small bags he had into the apartment's kitchen. Tamaki was sitting in the living room and appeared unusually subdued. "Is anything wrong, Tamaki?"

Continuing to sit unmoving in the living room, the dragon girl seemed unwilling to answer, so Doubek left her alone and began to prepare some cheese and vegetables for their dinner. Feeling a tug on a belt-loop, Doubek turned to find Tamaki standing there. The redness in her eyes as she looked at him said she'd been crying. "What's wrong?"

Fighting back her tears, Tamaki looked Doubek straight in the eye. "How... how can you do it?"

Curious, Doubek wiped his hands on a towel and turned to face the dragon-girl. "How can I do what?"

Desperation to understand written all over her face, Tamaki held out the small book. "How can you not be full of hate? How can you be so happy sometimes after what happened to you?"

Surprised to see the book, Doubek looked back into Tamaki's confusion-filled eyes and let out a sigh. "Well... it was another time, and another world-away. No sense really in holding on to it. It would just burn me up in the end."

Her mind seething with turmoil, Tamaki could only stare at Doubek. "I... I wan..."

Raising an eyebrow, Doubek straightened up.

Looking away, Tamaki clenched her fists as she struggled to make a decision. Finally, she relaxed, but didn't look up. "I was only seven when I was caught by slavers. I have no idea if my parents are even still alive, but considering that they didn't rip the slavers to bits, odds are that they're dead."

Crossing his arms, Doubek nodded and remained silent.

After giving a brief sniffle, Tamaki looked up at Doubek. "They starved me, and wouldn't let me have any water. Later, I realized they were trying to break me… to make me a compliant little doll that would do anything it was told to do."

Knowing Albor was, unofficially at least, a center of the illegal slave-trade gave Doubek a few possible ideas for clues to examine, but he still kept silent.

Now, a wistful look came over Tamaki's face. "I guess I was too scared to really understand what was going on at the time... If... If Ko... if... a slave friend, hadn't risked a beating to come and give me water, if she hadn't told me to just act like I would do whatever I was told, I would have died in that courtyard."

'Ko? Koyomi maybe? Koyomi Karenda is another member of Damashi... I wonder if that's who she's talking about?'

Reaching out, Doubek gently patted Tamaki on the shoulder. "See? This world isn't all bad, is it? If there was someone in it willing to be a friend and help you, despite the potential cost, then surely that means there are other good people in the world."

Nodding reluctantly, Tamaki watched in mild surprise as Doubek returned to preparing dinner. "Aren... Don't you want to ask me any questions?"

With a thoughtful look on his face, Doubek turned back to Tamaki. "Well, I would like to, but in this case why don't I just say that a gentleman doesn't press a lady for information when the situation isn't appropriate."

Mouth open in shock, Tamaki stared at Doubek's back while he returned to preparing dinner. Realizing the conversation was at an end, she turned and went to place the small book back where it belonged.

Doubek was still working when she did so, and his decision not to press her when she was probably ready to tell him anything he wanted to know still confused her.

'Maybe... maybe it is true... like some people say... that there is good in this world worth protecting.'

For the moment, a contented humming was the only answer available to the questions of a thoroughly confused dragon girl.

(-)

"Dash it all man!" Glasses rattled as palms slapped down hard on the desk. "Are you trying to ruin us?"

Ikoma gazed down both figurative and literally at the shriveled up stick of man berating him. "Councilor Jurgen," he replied in a level tone that masked his own anger, "This is a purely personal matter."

"Like blazes it is!" the furious mage shouted. "Why couldn't you think above the belt for once? That girl is a link to us and she's in the Harbinger's hands!"

A deep breath steadied his rising frustration over the situation. "I'll admit that having her in Valkova's custody is inconvenient …"

"Inconvenient!" Freidrich scoffed. "This is bloody well more than inconvenient!"

"Not really," Ikoma calmly replied. "The girl knows nothing beyond Kosmos Entelechia's purpose for supporting King Enteofushia's plans and nothing about the Cabal or our involvement. Even if she had anything to disclose, the girl knows what would happen to her friend."

Veins continued to throb in the elderly mage's forehead, but Jurgen at least chose to forego shouting. "Are you sure about that Ikoma?" the man asked. "Dragons are noted for seeking revenge on those who have wronged them."

"I'm more than aware of that fact Councilor," he stiffly answered. "Don't worry; she won't cause us any problems."

"I sincerely hope not, for all of our sakes," Friedrich said. "What's the progress on the investigation?"

"The Inquisitor has left for Occulus," Ikoma informed his fellow councilor. "Agent Masuda should find enough evidence to hang the Speaker with."

"Just make sure she does," the other man said. "The quicker power transitions to Mifune, the better."

Ikoma's lips pursed together as he carefully considered his next few words. "Why bother with a surrogate?" he asked with a feigned air of casualness. "I admit that Mifune can be a useful tool, but wouldn't it be easier to take control yourself?"

"That's how Saseru thought and you notice where it got him?" Friedrich caustically answered. "I've survived all these years precisely because I wasn't in direct charge."

"Aren't you taking a chance that Mifune won't start acting more," Ikoma paused before finishing with, "independently once he's Speaker?"

"Mifune is like a pet you take for a walk in the park," the other mage replied with a dismissive chuckle. "Everyone comes over to pat his head and say 'How cute' while ignoring the one holding the leash. And as long as you pass him an occasional bone, he'll be perfectly content."

"So we allow him to close the gates and then the Cabal will control all access to the Mundus Vetus," Freidrich continued.

"What about the Adenauer's?" Ikoma asked.

"What about them?" the older mage snorted. "They're little better than mundane."

"But they have access to the rifts too?" he pointed out.

"True," Freidrich conceded, "but the Adenauer's are like a snake; cut off its head and the body thrashes around uselessly."

Freidrich's expression turned serious again. "Just make sure you take care of that dragon girl," the old wizard warned. "She's far too dangerous to have running loose."

Knowing he'd been dismissed, Ikoma stood and exited the office, seething all the while. 'Lecture me will you,' he thought.

"Is master done?" a waif-like voice asked.

Ikoma glanced down at the porcelain face with its unblinking, blue eyes. Disdaining the council's offer of assigning a filthy animal as his guard, he elected to use his own servants. Most looked at the child-sized doll, dressed in a white frock and cap, and shook their heads. But a golem made the perfect servant being utterly devoted to its master and lacking any shred of free will; far more preferable than the beasts which waited on other councilors. "Yes Alice," he answered. "Let's go."

'I'll deal with the dragonling,' he mentally promised while striding down the corridor. Too much time and effort had been invested in getting Tamaki under control to let the girl slip away so easily. 'And then my friend,' lips stretched into a feral grin, 'I'll deal with you too.'

(-)

**A/N: And so the story continues. And yes Dpunk3, I will return to my other stories at some point too.**

**Chapter title and heading are from the Door's song "You're Lost Little Girl."**

**In the manga it is said that Evangeline led a doll army in the Mundus Magicus, which is why they developed the anti-doll weapons, but never said whom she fought. For the purposes of this story, I have her attacking Argyre. Also, the manga mentions that Albeiro is older than he appears, but no clue to how old. Well if Al fought against Eva at Argyre it would explain his penchant for humiliating her at every possibility.**

**About Tamaki's transformations, the manga shows her transforming into dragon form twice, once when battling Jack Rakan at the Governor's Palace and again against Negi and company at the Gravekeeper's Palace. Assume the form she used against Rakan is the initial form Doubek spoke of, while the second and larger form is her ultimate form. And yes, I did make her a gold dragon.**

**Bramboraky, like latkes, are a type of potato pancake.**

**Lidice was and is a real place in what is now the Czech Republic. After the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, the Nazis retaliated by executing all of the village's men, sending the women and children to concentration camps, and razing Lidice to the ground. It was a pattern repeated in other Nazi controlled areas throughout the war.**

**All of the books in Doubek's library, save the Ala Alba one of course, are real titles. **


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Many thanks for the reviews and thanks also to MakuhariFan_01 for his suggestions. So without further fanfare, here's the next chapter. **

**Negi and its characters are owned by Ken Akamatsu (at least until that law is passed giving anyone with a hand in the production part ownership). Kush'na and Arujent were created by MakuhariFan_01.**

**The following conventions are use: **"words", 'thoughts',_'reading'_** and **_memories_

**The Wind Through My Heart**

_**The wind through my heart blows all my candles out **__–_ Deborah Digges

**Mahora, Japan**

"It has been shown that within a rigidly logical system such as Russell and Whitehead had developed for arithmetic," the teacher droned on from the lectern, "propositions can be formulated that are undecidable or undemonstrable within the axioms of the system. That is …"

Out of the corner of her eye, Chisame noted her deskmate's eyes were closed and the girl's head was gradually inclining towards the tabletop. From her right, she heard a soft snoring that indicated Akashi was drifting away too. At the end of the row, Haruna sat, drawing in the mangaka's ever-present sketchbook instead of taking notes.

"Hence one cannot, using the usual methods, be certain that the axioms of arithmetic will not lead to contradictions ..."

Not that she blamed her fellow students, but why did she have to be sandwiched between them?

"It appears to foredoom hope of mathematical certitude through use of the obvious methods."

And what's going on all of the sudden she wondered. A mysterious boy appeared and Asuna is abruptly going on an emergency leave of absence along with iincho-san and who knew else. What was worse, nobody would tell her what it was about. Chisame tried cornering Konoka, but the girl merely smiled and said something about it being a "state secret."

Researching for Professors Springfield and Markham, Chisame had been checking on the Mahou web daily, but nothing earthshaking had been reported in the Mundus Magicus. So what was the big deal? Markham-sensei had asked her to stay after class today. Maybe she could get some answers then.

"Perhaps doomed also, as a result, is the ideal of science - to devise a set of axioms from which all phenomena of the external world can be deduced."

With the ringing of the final bell, the zombies to either side of her sprang miraculously to life. 'Just like Pavlov's dogs,' she mentally grumbled. Moments later, the classroom was vacant save for her and Chachamaru, whose turn it was to clean.

"Hello ladies," Markham-sensei said as he entered.

When it was announced at the beginning of the year that an American teacher was going to be their homeroom instructor, Chisame wasn't sure what to think. Movie inspired visions of Indian Jones and the Nutty Professor vied with the libidinous character from Ghost Busters. Sensei had been anything but what she expected.

Like the stereotypical American, sensei could be loud and prone to violence; however, Markham was normal, at least as normal as could be expected for Mahora. Seriously, Chisame would have been less surprised to find that Fate Averruncus had been appointed as their instructor. Well maybe not Fate she amended.

"What did you want to talk with me about sensei?" Chisame asked.

"Since Yukihiro-san is going to be absent for a while, someone will need to represent the class on the student council," he answered. "I'd like you to fill in as the class representative Hasegawa-san."

For a moment, the unflappable idol of millions froze.

"Hasegawa-san?"

"Um, I er, uh why me sensei?"

"I've asked several of your teachers and they've all given me good reports about you," the man replied. "Professor Springfield in particular speaks highly of you."

"Professor Springfield?" she numbly asked.

"He told me about last year's troubles," Markham explained. "About how he'd have failed without your advice."

While compliments were normally nice to receive, being roped into riding herd on her classmates during the school festival raised more shudders than the recent encounter in the pressure chamber. 'I won't have time for this summer's cosplay event,' she mentally complained.

"Please give it some thought and let me know," he concluded.

Wordlessly, Chisame gathered her things together. Just outside the door, she heard sensei address Chachamaru.

"I want to thank you for doing this Chachamaru-san," their teacher said.

"Helping my classmates in their studies will be an honor sensei," the gynoid replied. "Do you have the data stick?"

"Right here," sensei answered and then chuckled. "I'm amazed at how far technology has advanced. I remember having to use punch cards at my first military assignment."

"Punch cards?" the robot's puzzled voice asked.

"Never mind," Markham told her. "Go ahead and take it."

"Sensei," Chacahamaru said and then paused before continuing. "My upload port for this format is difficult to reach on my own. Could I have your assistance?"

At that point Chisame passed beyond the point she could hear any more of their conversation. Deciding to skip her computer club's meeting, she went back to the student dormitory instead.

'Oh God! What am I supposed to do now?' the girl thought as she walked into the lobby. 'There must be some mistake! I can't be class rep!'

'First that robot, now this … what else can go wrong today?'

Her answer was quick in coming. "Hey, class rep."

Chisame angrily whirled as a smiling Natsumi approached. "What did you say?"

Her classmate's steps slowed in response. "Well I heard you're going to be our student council representative Hasegawa-san."

"I haven't agreed yet," Chisame said through gritted teeth and then spun away.

"Wait," Natsumi cried out as the girl hurried to catch up.

"What is it Murakami-san?" she asked without stopping.

"I'm trying to find some costumes for our play," her classmate explained. "But I need the student council's permission to use the drama department's."

"Yukihiro-san's still the class rep," Chisame pointed out. "Why don't you ask her?"

"Ayaka-san is too busy packing for her trip," Natsumi answered.

'That sounds like iincho-san,' Chisame thought. Aloud she said, "Look, I 'm not the class rep so I can't help you. Okay?"

"I guess," a dejected voice replied.

Looking back at her classmate, Chisame noted that the other girl was moving with some difficulty. "Why are you shuffling like that?" she asked. "Did you hurt yourself?"

"No. Chizu-nee and I had an … ah, it's not important," Natsumi told her. "I just don't know what am I going to do?"

Not so long ago, the class hacker would have shrugged indifferently or made a pithy comment and left it at that. However, that Chisame hadn't survived several brushes with death; a survival brought about by the efforts of her classmates. "Why bother with the drama department?"

Natsumi gave her a puzzled look.

"I know some people who can set you up with all kinds of costumes," she explained. "Come up to my room and I'll find you some names to call."

As the pair reached her dorm room, they were surprised to hear Kotaro's voice coming from inside. "How was that?"

As surprising as hearing Kotaro was, it was nothing compared to the shock of Anya's response. "A lot better than I thought," the twelve year old girl exclaimed in an uncharacteristically chipper tone. "Have you done this before?"

"Naw. This is my first time," the boy remarked. "How about I do it again?"

'Say what?' Images of inappropriate behavior rushed unbidden through the hacker's mind. Could Anya and Kotaro …? With a shake of her head, she banished the visions. 'Not … not a chance. Not those two,' Chisame told herself. 'I've been reading too much manga.'

Unfortunately, she could see Natsumi was having similar thoughts as veins began to push out from the other girl's forehead.

"I don't know," came Anya's hesitant reply. "Hasegawa-san should be at her club meeting for a while yet."

"Then there's plenty of time," the young boy enthusiastically declared.

"Murakami-san," Chisame hissed in warning as storm clouds gathered above her quivering classmate.

"Well okay," Anya reluctantly agreed. "But I'll need help straightening the beds up before my roommates come back."

Flinging the door open, a grim-faced Natsumi let loose with a "What the hell is going on?"

The bunk beds had been pushed against the far wall and Anya sat on the bottom with legs tucked underneath. Standing next to her roommate was not Murakami's little brother, but rather a certain, pointy-haired pervert Chisame had never expected to see again. Anger drained away as a tuxedo clad Jacobius Rakan turned in greeting.

"Hey little miss," the Man of a Thousand Weapons said as an insufferable smirk spread across his battle-scarred face. "Fancy meeting you here."

Natsumi glanced about the room before her eyes settled on Anya. "Where's Kotaro-kun?" the girl angrily demanded.

"Hee, hee." Too stunned by to think clearly, Chisame was beset by a fit of giggling that quickly grew into full blown laughter.

"Ha, ha! Jack Rakan," she snorted. "Fancy meeting you here! Ho, ho, ho!"

"Are you okay Hasegawa-san?" Natsumi anxiously asked.

"Oh boy," Anya exclaimed as she stood up. "She's lost it."

"Ha, ha, ha!"

Anya glared at Rakan whose expression showed complete bafflement. "Say something you idiot!"

"I've, ha, ha, been wanting to tell you, ha, ha, something," the web idol told Jack as tears streamed down her face. She crooked her finger at the warrior who bent down, and then cocked her fist back and let fly straight into the man's grinning face. The blow twisted Jack's head to the side as Chisame screamed, "That's for sending me an entire case of salty manju!"

Rakan's form transformed into Kotaro who then fell to his knees.

"What the …?"

"Kotaro-kun?" Natsumi cried as stars circled the woozy lad. "What's going on?"

Assisted by his supposed sister, the tuxedo clad youngster rose unsteadily to his feet. "Geez nee-chan. What'd you slug me for?"

"Where did Rakan go?" Chisame demanded.

"Rakan-san was never here," Anya explained. "That was Kotaro-kun."

"Yeah," the youngster chimed in. "I was just trying out my pactio artifact."

"Pactio artifact?" Natsumi repeated as the girl's eyes dangerously narrowed. "When did you make a pactio?"

"Last weekend," Kotaro answered. "Anya-neechan ambushed me in the changing room."

"Ambushed you!" the little, outraged Russian screeched. "I thought you were Negi!"

"Pervert!" Natsumi shouted as the girl's fist staggered the dark-haired boy. "That's for making a pactio without telling me!"

"Idiot!" Anya yelled as her own fist smashed into his other cheek. "That's for embarrassing me!"

Flat on his back, Kotaro stared up at the three, stern faces glowering down at him and groaned, "Now I know how Negi feels."

(-)

**Great Library**

Musty tomes vied with scraps of yellow paper, scrawled with notes, for room atop his cluttered desk. As much as Albireo Imma would have preferred working from the comfort of his home deep below Mahora's Great Library, is was far easier to deliver research material to the provided office than run through the gauntlet of defenses. Yet after more than 10 years of looking, he was no closer to finding a spell to break the Eternal Torment than the day Nagi brought Albireo's body to Mahora.

His hopes had been raised with Mihai Dragomir's arrival, but while the golem might have been animated by Kozimos' spirit, it seemed to lack both the knowledge and power needed to remove the curse.

Seeking a moment's distraction from what had proven a pointless quest, Albireo grabbed a magazine from a stack unceremoniously dumped on a nearby chair.

'_News of the Kingdom'_

Kagurazaka Asuna stared back from the cover beneath the words "Our New Princess?". Intrigued, he flipped open to the magazine's lead article. Starting with a group picture of the major participants from last year's troubles, the article launched into a biography of the newly revealed princess. Like many such articles, it was rife with conjecture, hearsay and the sort of creative writing prevalent in tabloid publications, but interspersed here and there were little slivers of truth.

Turning to the following article, Al froze in shock as the mage gazed upon a picture of Argyre's previous princess. Memories rose unbidden.

_A woman with long, golden tresses knelt in the ashram's now empty sanctuary._

"_Your highness," he gently called. "The others have departed."_

"_I know," she replied in a weary sounding voice. "I wanted to see you before … before I have to leave."_

_Albireo knelt and gazed upon her face for perhaps the last time. The princess had always struck him as being very certain of herself, but now that beautiful face was pinched with doubt. "See me Your Highness? About what?"_

_Damp eyes glistened in the sanctuary's light. "I'm afraid," she meekly answered. "Argyre is my home; I don't know a soul in Ostia and I'll be so far away from anyone I do."_

_His lips pursed together as Albireo carefully considered his words. Aricia Anar'shia Teotanasia had been born the one person able to reunite the House Teotanasia with the Kingdom of Ostia. For a thousand years the two had been sundered and in a scant, few days they would be rejoined when Aricia and Ostia's king were wed._

_Tales painted such an unflattering picture of young Saseru Enteofushia that he feared Aricia would be doomed to loveless marriage of state. But what could he, a mere scholar, albeit one ardently in love, offer her?_

"_Aren't the Gödel's accompanying you to Ostia?" he asked and waited for a nod of affirmation. "Then you won't be totally alone."_

_Her gaze was desperate, like a drowning person glancing about for a lifeline to grab hold of. "And remember Your Highness, the hearts of all your friends and subjects here will be with you."_

_A faint blush colored the young woman's cheeks as Aricia glanced down. "And will," a hesitant voice asked, "and will your heart go with me too?" _

An unexpected knock brought Albireo back to the present. After burying the magazine at the bottom of the stack, he answered with a "come in." Asuna, Konoka and Setsuna entered the office.

"Fu, fu, fu, this is a surprise," he remarked. "I was just thinking about you Kagurazaka-san."

"By an odd coincidence," the red-haired girl replied, "I was thinking about you too."

"Indeed?" he said and then offered them seats.

"I've remembered something else," Asuna informed him. "I was watching from high above the battle as Argyre fought against the Dark Evangel's armies."

"The fight was going badly for Argyre when a man arrived to take me to safety," she continued. "That was you wasn't it?"

"You were at Argyre over a hundred years ago," the girl accused. "Just how old are you Imma-san?"

"As I've mentioned more than once," he replied grinning, "I'm older than I appear to be; just like you your Highness."

Asuna's eyes rolled at his comment. "Not you too! My name is Asuna! Can't everyone quit with the 'your Highness' stuff?"

"I'm afraid that won't be possible now," he said. "You lost all hope of anonymity the moment Caliburn was pulled from its scabbard."

"What is Caliburn?" Konoka asked. "Why is it so important?"

Eyes darted from one to another as Mahora's most mysterious mage gauged how much to tell his visitors. Certainly there was much information Asuna needed, but knowing what would help and what would hinder was the tricky part.

"Legends say that the sorceress Kush'na Teotanasia created Caliburn as a weapon should the Mage of the Beginning ever return," he finally answered. "The Queens of Ostia proudly bore it until Arujent Teotanasia sought refuge in Argyre."

"From that time forth, the sword was kept in a vault and only brought out when proof of descent from Kush'na was needed," he continued, "as only one of Teotanasian blood can draw the blade. An event many had hoped never to witness."

"Why is that?" Konoka wanted to know.

"It was believed that such would only occur upon the Mage of the Beginning's return," he answered. "However, more importantly the sword is a symbol of Kush'na's pledge that her children, the Teotanasians, would stand ready to defend the Mundus Magicus; a pledge that binds her descendants to this day."

"I … I can't do this on my own," Asuna said with a gaze just as desperate as her mother's had been. "I need help Imma-san … I need to remember."

"As I recall, we agreed otherwise," the mage reminded her.

"Things were different then," she fired back. "I wasn't going to rule a kingdom; a world wasn't depending on me."

"Please," the girl begged. "I'll pay you back somehow … I'm a princess now. Isn't there something you want?"

(-)

Albireo led them from the deck of his modest home into the shell-like main body. Born out of a love for the fanciful structures of the Mundus Magicus and his own memories of Jules Verne's marvelous submarine, the mage designed his own Nautilus in a cavern deep beneath the library. Having no true substance, the mage's feet made no sound as they tread upon the steps of a spiral staircase. Not so for the three young ladies behind him, whose steps echoed loudly in the cramped confines.

Exiting the stairs, the group entered a large chamber that took up most of the structure's interior. "What kind of home is this?" Konoka asked in a hushed voice.

"It's not a home," Albireo answered. "It's a mausoleum."

In the room's center rested a glass cylinder encased in metal. Openings, like portholes, pierced the metal at even intervals and emitted an eerie, blue-green light. He bade the girls to look inside and all three gasped at the hairless, white form held suspended within.

Asuna straightened and looked him in the eye, though it was obvious she was shaken by the contents. "Is that you Imma-san?"

"In all of my crowning glory," he answered in a sardonic tone. "Not an inspiring sight I'll give you, but one makes due with the cards one is dealt."

"What happened?" Konoka cautiously asked.

"The Eternal Torment happened," he replied, not bothering to keep the bitterness from his voice. "In Istanbul we fought against a former comrade and he cursed me to burn forever; never to die but live in endless agony. Only that jelly material keeps my remains from bursting into flame."

"This is like Fate Averruncus' petrification spell," Konoka observed.

"How very perceptive," Albireo remarked. "Not too surprising since they both spring from the same source."

"What do you mean the same source?" Setsuna asked.

"I speak of the Mage of the Beginning," he answered. "Her servants, the Averrunci, wielded her power."

"I've heard some of your story second hand, from a man named Dolnegus," Asuna said. "He said you were cursed by somebody named Kozimos."

"So he called himself when I knew him," the mage told them. "Kozimos was the least known member of the Ala Rubra. And the most committed to preventing the Mage of the Beginning's return, even if that meant slaying the Princess Enteofushia."

Three stunned expressions greeted his announcement. "Needless to say, that view didn't prevail."

"As I said, he called himself Kozimos Anankios, but he had other names …"

"Filius," Asuna whispered as she recalled one of her 'dreams'. "His name was Filius."

"So you have remembered a little more," the sardonic voice replied. "Yes, he was once called Filius by the Mage of the Beginning, and he was the first Averrunci of her new world. But the Faithful Son rebelled and provided your ancestress the key to defeating their creator. How ironic it was that the Devil walked in our midst clothed as an angelic child."

"How do you know this?" Setsuna demanded.

"Most of this is conjecture on my part, but it fits the pieces I've been able to gather over the years," he answered. "Especially his admission to have existed for 2600 years when we thought the Mage of the Beginning had destroyed him at Ostia. If true, Kozimos would have been around at the time of the first crisis; and legends mention a child-wizard who led a band of Kush'na Teotanasia's most fanatical warriors."

"Even Fate's petrification can be cured," Konoka interjected. "There must be some sort of cure for your condition as well."

"I haven't found one in more than 10 years of searching the library here," he commented. "Only Kozimos or the Mage of the Beginning can help me … or somebody with a similar power."

He looked meaningfully at Asuna, who turned pale in response. "You want to remember; I want my torment to end."

"I won't help you commit suicide," the teen replied.

"Look at me," he replied as a hand caressed the metal casing. "I'm already more dead than alive."

"Imma-san," Konoka called and the mage turned to find the healer's eyes riveted on him with an intensity he'd not seen before. "Just like with the people of Negi-san's village, I know there is a cure. I swear to you that I'll find it."

'Give me time to help you,' the girl's unspoken thought followed and his shoulders slumped forward in acquiescence.

"I have to know Imma-san," Asuna pleaded. "All of the answers are inside of me. All of the knowledge of my ancestors. You have to help me remember."

"I really don't know what it would do to you," Albireo said. "If I remove my spell blocking your memories, you might not be Kagurazaka Asuna anymore. Are you willing to risk losing your identity and partner?"

"I want you to be my permanent partner," the boy had declared upon the lakeshore not so many days ago. "Help me with my quests and let me help you with yours."

He was just a little kid, a squirt who aggravated her to no end, climbed uninvited into her bed and couldn't be bothered to bathe regularly. But he had said he wanted her, Asuna, Baka Red, the girl voted least likely to succeed. At least in the memories of the past ten years, no one had ever said they wanted her. Not one person! Except for a young boy who was searching for his father. If the choice was between her past and her future, the decision wasn't a difficult one to make.

"No, that's a risk I won't take Imma-san," Asuna relented, finally admitting the truth to herself; Negi was more important than anything else she could ever possibly have. "I'll find another way then."

"But can you at least tell me about my past?" she asked while recalling the image that had sent her to him in the first place. "Did you know my mother?"

"_And will your heart go with me too?"_

_His breath turned leaden at the question while mental arms flailed about. Would she miss him? Did that mean …?_

'_Get a grip man,' Albireo told himself. 'You must think about the princess' welfare.'_

"_Of course Your Highness," he answered with a smile so broad that the corners of his mouth ached. "Mine most of all."_

"_And if I know you," he added, "it won't be long before you have many friends in your new home."_

"_Do you," her meek voice responded, "do you really think so?"_

_He wanted to fling his arms about her, confess his feelings and flood her with kisses, but duty, both his and hers stayed his hand. "With all my heart," he answered._

"Very well actually," Albireo replied. "I was not only Princess Aricia's tutor, but also a friend."

(-)

**Teacher's Dormitory**

Phillip had no sooner stepped into the room when he stripped off his coat, revealing a sweat soaked shirt beneath it. "Good God," the teacher swore softly in English. "Pull out and twist; what was Hakase thinking?"

Curled up on a cushion, Chamo overheard the comment. Quickly, the ermine sprang to the back of the couch. "What's the mad scientist done now?"

"Oh, hello Albert," Phillip replied. "It's not important."

"Where's Negi?" he asked, eager to change the subject. "Still researching at the library?"

"No," the ermine answered. "Big Brother's making arrangements for a leave of absence so he can accompany Asuna to the Magic World."

"I've never worked in a place with such a liberal leave policy," the American observed. "Then again, I've never worked in a place like Mahora."

"Let's see," Phillip said while loosening his tie. "That's Asuna, Ayaka, Negi and Chachamaru going … you too I guess. Anybody else?"

"Not yet," Chamo answered. "But I sure would like to have some additional firepower along. Say Mana or Kaede."

"We can't afford to lose too many more," Phillip observed. "Having Negi gone for any length of time is bad enough."

"In fact, I wonder …" but the remainder of his comment was left unsaid as a knock interrupted.

Himeiko, dressed in a French maid's uniform, stood in the hallway. "Hello Markham-san," the succubus said as she bowed in greeting, presenting a clear view of her ample cleavage.

"Um, hi," he replied. "Do you want something?"

The demon grinned, sending a shudder down the man's spine, and then held out a sealed envelope addressed to Negi. "My mistress wishes to invite Springfield-san to a small, farewell ceremony tomorrow."

Cautiously, Phillip took the envelope. "I'll see he gets it."

She thanked him and then turned to depart. "Himeiko-san," Phillip called. "Is your mistress home right now?"

"Yes."

"Please tell her I'd like to speak with her," he told the lilim. "I'll be up shortly."

After changing shirts, Phillip started out the door when Chamo asked to come along. "I'd like to talk to Miss Ishikawa about this ceremony," the ermine claimed.

Perched firmly on his shoulder, Chamo glanced over at the American. "Have you considered making a pactio?"

"What?" the man responded in a shocked voice. "With Negi?"

"No," the ermine quickly answered. "I was thinking about Miss Ishikawa."

"I've had enough problems with my relationships lately," Phillip told him. "Now you want me to get involved with her too?"

"That's not what I meant," Chamo protested. "Although nobody has said so, I have the feeling Miss Ishikawa is a powerful mage. By making a provisional contract with her, I'm sure you'd receive a useful artifact. Maybe something that could help offset Big Brother being gone."

Phillip stopped before the stairwell door and considered what Chamo had said. A magical artifact could be helpful he reasoned, but there was another issue here. "Would I have to kiss her?"

"No, but kissing's a lot easier than other methods," the ermine answered. "Besides it's just a kiss. I thought all Americans were geh."

Frosty did not begin to describe Phillip's expression. "Albert Chamomile," he said in a tone so cold that the ermine shivered, "American pop culture may rarely rise out the gutter, but that doesn't mean we all chase anything wearing a skirt."

"Um, yeah," a chastened Chamo muttered. "Sorry."

(-)

Evangeline stood in the apartment's tiny shower, vigorously rubbing shampoo into her hair. The outside door opened and closed announcing her maid's prompt return. "Mistress," Himeiko called out. "I'm back."

"Did you deliver Boya his invitation?" she asked.

"He wasn't in," the demon answered. "So I gave it to Markham-san."

"Good," the undead mage replied and then leaned into the stream of water, blocking out anything further as images of the rugged American filled her thoughts. Their one date had been the first, real opportunity Evangeline had to let her hair down since being confined at Mahora. While the attempted assassination did put a crimp in their relationship, it had led to both a confession and a surprisingly enjoyable reunion at the hospital. Boya, despite a tremendous amount of growth over the past year, was still far too young for her. While Markham wasn't the one she'd want to spend eternity with, he was the best choice to come her way since being condemned to this dreary prison.

Unfortunately, she had made a serious miscalculation and had to find a way to regain the man's trust. 'Maybe I should tell him who I really am,' Evangeline thought as the little vampire wrapped a towel about her spell enhanced figure. While careful not to make Ishikawa-sensei too attractive, vanity required that the buxom teacher turn at least a few heads.

Moving to the living room, the mage known variously as the Queen of Calamity and Apostle of Woe sat upon a pile of cushions heaped before the television, grabbed a handful of potato chips from a nearby bowl, picked up the control for a video game console and began mashing buttons with abandon. The game system, ancient by industry standards when she received it, had been a gift from Takahata for letting him train in her castle. It was ironic that the young man wanted to thank her for letting him nearly kill himself, but he had finally mastered kanka in the end.

'Just like Boya mastered Magia Erebea,' Evangeline thought and then frowned in response. During Negi's battle with Fate Averruncus at the Old Ostian gateport, the boy had nearly burnt himself out; not the worst fate considering the possibilities. Upon her young apprentice's return to Mahora, the two had a little heart to heart.

"_Moron!" A backhand blow sent Negi flying across the castle courtyard and into a wall. "Imbecile! What did you think you were doing?"_

_Negi shook his head, dislodging a few pieces of masonry in the process. "Well Rakan-san said …"_

"_Jack Rakan!" she shrieked. "He's a bigger idiot than your old man!"_

"_But Rakan-san said it was the only way to get strong enough to beat Fate," Negi told her only to have his face grabbed and pulled close._

"_Listen up Boya and pay attention," Evangeline commanded as fingers pinched the youngster's lips into an O shape. "Magia Erebea is powerful, very powerful, but it was never meant for the living. To use it requires you call upon your darkest thoughts and feelings, the ones you don't want to even admit are there. Not only call upon, but give them free reign. For one like me without a soul …"_

"_But master," he interrupted, "you have a soul."_

"_Shut up!" Evangeline screamed. "I'm already given over to the dark! I don't have a soul to imperil! You on the other hand do!"_

_Concern finally touched Negi's face as her tone, if not words, sunk in_

"_Lose control like you nearly did in Ostia, and you'll be consumed by the Magia Erebea," Evangeline explained. "However, give in to those feelings and you'll merge with the darkness instead. Once you do that, it's over."_

"_What do you mean master?"_

"_What I mean is at that point you won't be human anymore." That made an impression. _

"_You wanted to defeat Fate? Think of the harm you could cause if that desire was all you cared about?" Evangeline ruthlessly asked. "Family, friends, becoming a Magister Mage, none of that would matter; you'd toss every bit of it aside without a second thought in order to wreck vengeance on your enemy."_

"_Is vengeance worth more than those you care about and have sworn to protect?" She waited a moment before administering the coup de grace. "Worth more than Anya-san? Nodoka-san? Asuna-san?"_

Evangeline wasn't sure if their talk had made enough of an impression. 'If not,' the little vampire told herself, 'I may have to put him down one day.'

A reprieve from such unpleasant thoughts came with a knock on the front door. 'Now who could that be?'

As Himeiko answered the door, Evangeline stuffed the remaining chips into her mouth.

"Welcome master," the demon said before announcing, "Markham-san has arrived mistress."

"Hrk!" Flecks of potato chip fell down her windpipe and stuck fast. Being undead meant Eva was in no real danger from choking, but turning blue in the face made for an unpleasant sensation none the less. Doubled-over, the little vampire was aware of arms encircling her waist and hands jerking forcefully in, once, twice and thrice. The blockage was dislodged and air, sweet wonderful air, rushed into grateful lungs.

"Thank you," Evangeline managed to gasp out. Looking down, she noted both that the man's arms were still around her waist and the top of her towel was neatly folded over them. Apparently Phillip was also aware as he quickly released his hold and stepped back.

"You're okay then Ishikawa-san?" he asked while intently studying the opposite wall.

A smile stretched lips wide as Evangeline glanced at her savior's back. Judging from the shade of red his ears were, it was for the best that he couldn't see her amusement. Catching sight of Boya's familiar wiped the smile away as an unspoken warning passed between them. 'Mention this to anyone rodent, and Negi will need a new familiar.' Throwing the towel over a shoulder, she headed into the bedroom. "I'll be right back."

(-)

"Tea Markham-san," Himeiko politely asked.

"Yes. Thank you."

"Do you like lemon?"

"No thanks."

Properly dressed for company, Evangeline sipped from her own cup as she tried to salvage something from the occasion. "What did you come up to speak with me about?"

"I'm concerned about Negi-san and the others going to the Magic World," he answered. "I'm not so much worried about their safety there although I understand it can be quite dangerous. Much of our planning was based on them being here at Mahora."

"Do you think this a plot to get them out of the way?"

Phillip nodded. "It's possible, however just the fact they're gone might provoke an attack," he remarked. "I'm hoping you might have some ideas on how we can strengthen our defenses."

Here was an opportunity to get back in his good graces Evangeline realized, but what to suggest? Drop the defense shield around Mahora, stand back and let me kick butt while perfectly sound from her point of view might not be readily accepted by others. Taking those bubble headed twits to the castle for two weeks of intense training might prove more frustrating than effective. Heavy armament existed in the Mundus Magicus, but it would be easier to pull a tooth from a dragon's mouth than pry weaponry from the old fossils on the other side. She had been surprised Negi managed to get those anti-doll weapons used against her army at Argyre. But while the Council would supply those weapons, having no reason to fear another doll invasion, demons were a different matter. It was then that a light bulb clicked on.

"Pactios," she said.

Chamo and Phillip's reactions provided a study in contrasts. Unadulterated greed shone in the ermine's beady, little eyes while her fellow teacher seemed shocked by the suggestion. "I'm not saying that this is a perfect solution Markham-san," she tried to explain. "But pactios would provide your students additional protection."

"Won't that many pactios be a tremendous drain on Negi-san?" Phillip asked.

"If he were a normal mage, yes," Evangeline answered. "As I understand, the young man has contracts with several partners with no appreciable drop in power. And the artifacts gained have been uniformly powerful."

"I don't know," the man replied. "Forcing the kid into this doesn't seem right."

"Don't worry," Chamo said. "I'll explain to Big Brother how important this is."

"That's not reassuring me," Phillip remarked.

"I'll talk to him," Evangeline offered. "Since the suggestion was mine, I should be the one to broach the subject with Springfield-san."

"That's fine for the girls Ishikawa-san," Chamo said, "but what about Markham-san?"

The ermine was lucky that Phillip's eyes weren't laser equipped or there wouldn't have been enough left to give a decent burial to. Sensing her opportunity to make amends, Evangeline dove in. "I think that's an excellent idea."

Both man and beast stared at her in open-mouthed shock.

"Providing Markham-san isn't opposed to forming a provisional contract," she added.

"Um, well I haven't really given the matter much, uh, thought," the flustered man responded.

"No time to waste," Chamo declared as the ermine started forming a magic circle.

"Not so fast vermin," Evangeline said. "You don't have to do this Markham-san. I wouldn't force a pactio on anyone who was unwilling."

"My contract to teach is only for a year," Phillip told her. "I won't bind someone to me when I don't know where I'll be this time next year."

Concern? For her? Over the centuries, Evangeline had learned to mistrust the motives of those expressing concern for her wellbeing. This had led to more than a few conflicts when Negi or one of his addle headed battle harem had expressed genuine worry. She had either snapped at or brushed them aside; however, Boya wasn't the only one to learn a thing or two during the past year.

"I understand," she said. "A probationary contract allows the flexibility to go our separate ways later on."

Standing within the confines of the circle, Evangeline felt a rising nervousness. Despite her long existence, she had never made a pactio before. Not that she couldn't have mind you, but it never seemed worth the bother.

"Anytime," Chamo prodded.

Evangeline felt like a shy schoolgirl about to receive her first kiss as Phillip moved closer. 'Don't be silly,' she thought as his breath blew against her face. 'We've already kissed.'

For a moment she wondered what sort of artifact Phillip would receive and then worried that their contract wouldn't produce one. 'Too late for that now,' she thought as lips touched. Energy pulsed around them, forcing the hem of her skirt to swirl as a wind whipped it about. Nagi's face suddenly appeared as she remembered the Thousand Master's promise. 'Is this it Nagi?' Evangeline asked the ghostly memory. 'Is this living in the light?'

(-)

Albert Chamomile watched closely for the spell created master card to appear. Ishikawa's arrival had been far too convenient and interacting with the magic teacher had only increased the ermine's suspicions. If that card said what he thought it would …

As the card started to materialize, a hand came down, smashing him to the floor. "Himeiko-san?"

The maid grinned wickedly as she plucked the card and stuffed it into her apron pocket. "I think your task is finished is it not?" Picking up the rodent, she threw him into the hallway.

"Wait!" he cried as the door slammed shut. "Sigh. At least I got my commission with the Ermine Association."

(-)

The spell had long since completed, but Evangeline was content to remain in the man's embrace.

"Kitty?"

"What?" she dreamily replied. The moment Evangeline realized what name he had used, her head snapped up. "What?"

Unlike at the hospital, Phillip's face was thankfully devoid of that know-it-all smirk. "Isn't there supposed to be a card or something?"

"How, how long have you known?"

"I didn't know for sure until we kissed," he admitted, "but I knew you were alive and when Ishikawa-san showed up …" He ended with a shrug.

Hands planted on both hips, she glared back. "You expect me to believe you could tell from one kiss?"

"Well Kitty," he answered, "there's nobody who kisses like you."

"Flatterer," the mage declared, though she was secretly pleased by his comment. "Now where is that card?"

"Here mistress," Himeiko said as the maid withdrew the pactio card and held it out.

'_Caelum Quadriga'_

Evangeline froze as she read the words. "It can't be," she whispered.

It was long ago, in Italy when Evangeline first encountered that artifact. Under an assumed name, she had been travelling in the entourage of a German noble and ran into a bit of difficulty involving Parma's constabulary. A certain rogue had rescued her from the Duke's men and using the Sky Chariot deposited her safely in Venice. She never asked how that man came to have an artifact, and sincerely doubted he'd have given a truthful answer in any event.

"Kitty?" she heard. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Oh it's nothing," Evangeline answered as she took the card. Suppressing an urge to squeal like one of Boya's fan girls, the mage turned to her new partner.

"I once met a man who possessed this artifact," she explained, "although it looked considerably different then."

Phillip squinted at the picture. It showed a figure dressed in a black flight suit, an uncomfortably skin-tight one at that, with an old-time aviator's cap, goggles and scarf superimposed over what looked like a helicopter. "I suppose there's a special meaning to all of this."

"Pactio cards are highly symbolic," Evangeline said. "Every element has a meaning."

"What now?" he asked.

"I'll make a duplicate card for you," she answered, "and we'll need to find time, and an isolated spot, for you to practice using your artifact."

Gazing into the man's face, Evangeline could see the uncertainty mirrored within it. She had taken the first step, but realized that more needed to be done. How odd. Watching various classmates and teachers flounder in such situations over the years had been amusing. Now that the shoe was on the other foot, it wasn't quite so humorous.

"We have another matter to discuss," she told Phillip and then dismissed Himeiko. As the succubus retreated to another room, Evangeline collected her thoughts. She was the Dark Evangel, a shinso vampire and mage so powerful that the mere mention of her name caused women to faint, children to cry and set the bravest men to trembling. Having risen to final boss status should have put her beyond the need to apologize, yet here she was.

"It was wrong to send Himeiko-san to you," she admitted. "I acted without regards to your feelings and I hope you can forgive me."

"I guess I've been acting like a jerk too," Phillip remarked. "A lot of guys I've known wouldn't have complained, but I stopped wanting one night stands a long time ago."

"I have a further confession," Evangeline said as a bead of sweat formed on her brow. "I was hoping that it wouldn't necessarily be a one night stand."

An uncomprehending expression appeared on her fellow teacher's face. "What I mean is that lilim need to be, uh infused with energy on a regular basis."

Bewilderment began to morph into something closer to the man's earlier anger. "Surely you're not suggesting …"

"If you'd only let me explain …"

"… that I and that demon …"

"It isn't like that at all …"

"It's completely out of the question."

"Dammit Nagi!" Evangeline snapped. "Will you shut up a minute and let me explain?"

Her words echoed off the walls as conversation ceased. In awkward silence they stared at one another until Phillip finally excused himself. Shortly afterwards, the door to the apartment's other bedroom creaked open as Himeiko stuck her head out. "May I come out now Mistress?" the succubus asked as Evangeline stomped to the front door and threw it open. "Where are you going Mistress?"

"I'm going to find a nice, quiet mountain top," the little vampire testily answered. "And blow it to smithereens."

(-)

**Student Dormitory**

"Are you crazy?" Asuna shouted. "This makes absolutely no sense!"

Unlike her shukun's normal, cheerful expression, Konoka appeared completely serious. "It makes perfect sense," the chocolate-haired girl replied. "We know how dangerous the Mundus Magicus can be."

"I can take care of myself," Asuna exclaimed. "And I'll have Negi along."

"Granted, but you'll both have other responsibilities to attend too," Konoka countered. "Having a bodyguard along, somebody to watch after you fulltime, isn't a luxury. It's a necessity."

Kneeling on the floor of the room the three students shared, Setsuna looked on with a growing sense of depression as the discussion continued.

"I'm sure Argyre has plenty of guards," Asuna said.

"Are you ready to trust your life to complete strangers?" Konoka asked. "Or do you doubt Se-chan's loyalty?"

Back and forth the argument went and all Setsuna could think was "ojou-sama's trying to get rid of me."

Since the incident over reviving the lilim, a rift had grown between her and Konoka. It was entirely her own fault the swordswoman realized, but she couldn't make any progress towards bridging the gap. Now it appeared too late as the person Setsuna cherished most in the world was casting her away like a worn out coat … or sword.

'Perhaps it's for the best,' she thought. 'With Kimiaki-san around I'd only be a hindrance. Maybe I need a fresh start, a chance to begin all over again.'

So Setsuna told herself, trying to deny how anxious the shinmei-ryu had been after the forced teleportation spell separated her from Konoka. Battered by a storm that had devastated the region, she wandered the mountains around Nyandom delirious. After finally collapsing in exhaustion, some local herdsmen took her to the village sheltering her shukun. Too physically weak and emotionally drained to return Konoka's glomp upon regaining consciousness, Setsuna had been content to remain in the girl's embrace. Yet now …

Her train of thought came to an abrupt halt as Asuna asked, "Setsuna, what do you think?"

"I …" What was she to do? Stay here and be as welcomed in her friend's life as the proverbial Christmas cake? Or maybe … maybe she should follow Aoyama-sama's advice and see if there was something more, something different that the swordswoman could to do with her life. Her sword and her happiness … was it so farfetched to believe both were within reach?

"I think ojou-sama's idea is a good one," Setsuna answered. Reverently she laid the nodachi at Asuna's feet and knelt forward, nearly touching her forehead to the floor. "I will serve Hime-sama faithfully and to the best of my ability."

Setsuna couldn't see Asuna's mouth gape open for a moment before it shut with a click. She did however, hear the softly spoken "I accept, but only for the length of my trip."

Behind Setsuna a door had closed, but ahead one lay open.

(-)

**A/N: Obviously, this story is AU particularly with regards to Negi's mother. As was established in **_**Ala Alba in the World of Magic**_** Arika, changed to Aricia, is Asuna's mother.**

**The lecture at the chapter's beginning was from Boyer and Merzbach's **_**A History of Mathematics. **_**The particular passage referred to Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem.**

**MakuhariFan_01 suggested a helicopter for Markham's artifact and provided the background between Evangeline and a certain rogue. I would say more, but this might become its own story at some point. **

**The idea for Kotaro's artifact came from chapter 24 of **_**A Day Indoors **_**by Ambrant Arandel.**

**The chapter title and heading are from the poem **_**A Wind Blows Through the Doors of My Heart**_**.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Once more into the breach dear friends. As always, my thanks to MakuhariFan_01 for his help.**

**Ken Akamatsu owns Negima and its characters. Additionally, several bits of dialog have been "appropriated" from later chapters of the manga (specifically chapters 340 and 341). Yes, I could have written my own dialog, but his was way cooler. **

**The following conventions are use: "words", 'thoughts' and '**_reading_**'.**

**The Finest Kind**

**The finest kind of friendship is between people who expect a great deal of each other but never ask it – **Sylvia Bremer

**Mahora Tea Garden**

Sunlight reflected off the stream meandering through the grounds of Mahora's Tea Garden, sending silver-colored motes dancing across its surface. Mountains, some still sporting vestiges of last winter, rose above a line of maples and firs marking the ground's outer boundary. A large pheasant, glorious in its copper plumage, strutted proudly across the lawn serenaded by the song of thrushes. Negi stopped and deeply drank in the moment.

Growing up in the mountains of Wales, the young mage would come unexpectedly across such scenes. Each moment would be stored to be dredged up later as a treasured memory. He felt the shifting of weight on his shoulder as a white-furred ermined turned to glance at him in with an unvoiced question passing between them.

"Nothing is wrong Chamo-kun," Negi answered. "The garden is particularly beautiful today."

"So did Ishikawa-san explain why she asked you out here?" the ermine asked as Negi started forward again.

"No she didn't," he replied, slightly puzzled by the invitation. Having joined the faculty shortly after Evangeline's murder, Ishikawa-san had kept apart from the other teachers. In fact the cosplay contest was one of the few times he'd seen the woman outside of the school or dormitory grounds. If forced to choose a word to describe his fellow teacher, Negi would use aloof or perhaps distant. "I imagine it might have to do with my accompanying Asuna to the Mundus Magicus."

The trip, or rather his part in it, had proven another bone of contention. While he had rightly anticipated the objections of the Team Negi members, the youngster had been unprepared for the backlash from the school staff. "There are plenty of mages capable of protecting the princess," Kuzunoha-san and others had argued. Defending Mahora was far more important than haring off to the Mundus Magicus. Even Markham-san's reaction, though the man didn't try to talk him into staying, told Negi his roommate felt the same. How to make them understand?

During the First Crisis, a bond was forged between the Teotanasians and his ancestors, one that had passed down through the generations since. By virtue of this bond, Negi was Asuna's protector. And while there wasn't any evidence that the Life Maker's minions were behind the summons, he dared not take the chance they weren't. Takamichi alone appeared to understand that his decision was neither impulsive nor selfish. Well the headmaster too, he amended, but no one else.

'I hope Ishikawa-san isn't going to try and convince me not to go as well,' Negi thought as the thatched roof of the chashitsu came into view.

Further thoughts were scattered by an enthusiastic cry of "Negi-kun!"

Waving like a maniac, Makie Sasaki stood in front of the tea house and the gymnast wasn't alone as the cheerleading trio spilled out of the open doorway to welcome him too. Little hairs on the back of the boy's neck stood in response, but it was too late for a strategic retreat as the group advanced towards him, smiling all the while.

"This is a surprise," Negi remarked as the girls encircled him. "I didn't expect to see anyone else here?"

"Ishikawa-sensei invited us," Sakurako cheerfully answered.

Misa, obviously still upset over the fiasco with the age-reducing candy, glared at Chamo, who responded by shifting closer to Negi's neck. "She told us there was something important to do before you left sensei," the cheer squad captain said.

"She's waiting inside professor," Madoka explained as his former students began herding him towards the building.

Inside, he found Ishiwaka-san and her maid waiting. Both women wore kimonos and bowed deeply in tandem.

"Welcome honored guest."

"Thank you," he replied, "though I'm a little confused Ishikawa-san. You're invitation didn't mention what this was about."

"No it didn't," the woman admitted. "The invitation is for a tea ceremony Professor, and you are the guest of honor."

"That really isn't necessary," the young mage began to say, but was cut off.

"But it is Springfield-san," Ishikawa replied. "This is your graduation ceremony."

"My …. What?"

The dark-haired teacher gave him an indulgent smile as the others looked quizzically at one another.

"Springfield-san," Ishikawa continued, "you have trained very hard over the past year have you not?"

"Yes," he cautiously answered.

"Then it is fitting that all of your sacrifice and effort be recognized," she told him.

"It wasn't all that much."

"Professor!" The woman's sharp tone brought him up short. Negi glanced up at her and for a moment he swore it was Evangeline's face in front of him. "Do you honor your master's memory?"

A million thoughts tumbled through his head at that question. Negi had many teachers over the course of his short life, but not one of them could approach the self-proclaimed Queen of Calamity, Evangeline McDowell. Like out of some ancient tale they had begun as adversaries. Witnessing the extent of the undead mage's power, he had fought for the right to become her student. Although a harsh trainer, Evangeline had prepared Negi for the rigors that lay ahead and the boy owed no small part of his success to her.

"Of course I do," he answered emphatically.

"It is good not to be overly proud of your accomplishments Springfield-san," Ishikawa responded. "But by minimizing them, you also minimize the importance of those who help you achieve them."

At a complete loss for words, the youngster could only stare at his fellow magic teacher.

"Let us recognize both of you for the work it took to get to this point," she ended.

Touched by the woman's gesture, Negi nodded in agreement. Ishikawa smiled and stepped closer. Her smile faded as she sniffed and then wrinkled her nose.

"Er, what?"

"Not to offend," she answered, "but when was the last time you bathed Springfield-san?"

A blush rose in the boy's face as he muttered an indistinct reply.

"Himeiko and I will prepare the ceremony," she informed him. "There's a wash tub in back. Please make use of it."

Glancing at his former students, Ishikawa's mouth stretched into a wicked grin as she suggested, "Why don't you four give Springfield-san a hand?"

Cold fingers of fear ran up his back as Negi slowly faced them. Predatory eyes gleamed from shadow covered visages as the boy's gulp echoed ominously.

Outside the chashitsu, Evangeline smiled to herself as a terrified shriek shattered the garden's tranquility.

"Quit squirming!" Misa shouted from the changing room. "You're only making this worse!"

"Mistress … perhaps I should help," the demonic maid offered, her voice rising into a hopeful note at the end.

"Give me back my pants!" the young mage cried.

"Negi-kun," Makie exclaimed. "You have grown since last year."

"I think my apprentices can manage this by themselves," Evangeline confidently replied as she continued on her way.

(-)

The sun hung just above the rim of surrounding mountains as Ishikawa finished putting last of the utensils away.

"This would be the part where I thank you for coming," their host explained, "but I have a matter of some urgency to discuss with you Springfield-san."

Negi could feel his stomach tighten in response, but kept silent as his fellow teacher continued.

"These four young ladies seated with you are my students," she told him. This surprised Negi even though he knew Makie had been practicing since mastering the beginner's spell during last year's trip; however, he never would have expected it of the three cheerleaders.

"Although they have been diligent in their studies," Ishikawa continued, "I fear if we are attacked during your absence, they and their classmates may not be enough to defend Mahora."

'Here it comes,' Negi thought to himself.

"I believe your assistance is vital to their success," she concluded.

"Ishikawa-san," he started to say but was cut off by the woman's "Please, let me finish Springfield-san."

"I know that you will accompany Kagurazaka-san under any but the direst of circumstances," Ishikawa acknowledged. "What I'm suggesting is assistance that can be used whether you're here or not."

His former students perked up a bit while Negi felt heat build in his cheeks as understanding dawned upon them all. "You're talking about pactios?"

"Exactly," the woman responded. "A pactio artifact can be invoked as long as the Magister Magi lives, even if the partners are on different worlds. In the battle we expect, such additional firepower could make the difference between success and failure."

Since the pactio with Asuna, Negi had formed temporary partnerships with 11 more girls. No, 12 he mentally corrected after recalling the pactio made with Collet Farandole in trade for his father's staff.

'Makie, Misa, Sakurako and Madoka would make 17,' the young mage realized. 'I'm going to have the worst sort of reputation.'

"I guess there isn't much choice," he admitted aloud. The expressions on the four girls' faces ran from friendly to anticipatory to calculating and reserved.

"Chamo-kun," Negi called and the ermine glanced up at him. "Please draw up a circle."

"Sure thing Big Brother," Chamo replied and enthusiastically set to work. "So who's up first?"

"We drew straws," Sakurako said and Negi immediately shifted in her direction. "And Makie got the longest one."

"What? Seriously?"

"Yeah," the rhythmic gymnast replied as Negi turned towards her instead. "I'm pretty good at competitions as long as it isn't jan-ken-pon."

Competition. Makie lived for competition whether gymnastics, bowling or crossing a field with her eyes shut. Sometimes she went overboard, but then he'd been known to go to extremes as well. Gazing at her now, Negi was struck by how pretty she was.

"Are you okay Negi-kun?" Makie asked as his heart began thumping faster.

Gently, she placed her hands atop his. "I remember when you made a pactio with Akira," the teen confessed. "I felt so awful knowing that I wasn't good enough to be your partner."

"And I can't help but feel I'm still not good enough."

"That's not true," he quickly objected. "Do you remember back when I was training with Master Ku?"

"You were with me every step of the way," the youngster continued while turning his palms up to clasp her hands. "And when I fought Chachamaru-san, it was you who argued against stopping the match."

"Your support has been indispensable," he claimed. "If anything Makie-san, I'm the one who should feel undeserving to have you as a partner."

"How does this kid know what to say?" Madoka whispered.

"No idea," MIsa whispered back, "but he's got me swooning too."

Ignoring the comments, the pair continued gazing into each other's eyes until Chamo's "We're ready Big Brother."

With cheeks flushed, Makie leaned forward. Lips met, lightly at first but grew in intensity, swelling to a crescendo as the spell peaked. The teen's eyes were shut tight as they broke apart, and Makie had a strange expression on her face. Glancing at the others, Negi noted that they all looked amused except for Himeiko who sat quietly in the corner. The lilim's eyes glittered as the demoness drew in the excess energy generated by the pactio.

"I'm next," Sakurako cheerfully announced and then frowned at the gymnast who was humming to herself. "Makie-san."

"Mmmmm …"

"It's my turn."

The pactios for Sakurako and Misa were performed in fairly short order, with the latter girl deciding to give Negi his first "adult" kiss at the same time. In contrast to her friends, Madoka had been tentative during their kiss but acted as enthusiastic about her card as the others had. Though perhaps enthusiastic wasn't the proper word.

"Why does my card have a motorcycle?" the dark-haired cheerleader asked. "And what's with that costume?"

"Don't complain," Misa said. "It looks way cooler than mine."

"Yeah," Sakurako chimed in. "I'm dressed in my cheerleader's uniform."

"I look like a juvenile delinquent."

Ishikawa silenced their chatter with an "hmmm hmmm."

"Don't you think it time to thank your sensei?" the other teacher asked.

Kneeling in a line before him, Negi's newest partners thanked him and then bowed in unison. A tickle irritated his nose as the young mage began "You're wel … ah … ah …"

Chamo scampered out of the way as Makie rummaged through her kimono.

"Ah …"

"Here you go Negi-kun," the gymnast said as she presented a tissue.

"Ah-choo!"

Wind exploded about the room, rattling the chashitsu's walls and vaporizing every shred of clothing the girl's wore. "Um …", "wha …" and "eek" flowed in rapid order.

"Well it was bound to happen," Ishikawa remarked. Having been out of the direct line of fire hadn't spared the older teacher's kimono. "I must say young man; you don't do anything half-heartedly do you?"

(-)

**Mahora Girls Dormitory**

The dormitory room's door opened as Asuna, carrying several bags, stepped inside. "I'm back," she announced.

Behind her came the class rep, also carrying a number of bags, fruits of an afternoon spent among some of Mahora's finer shops.

"Welcome home Asuna," Konoka said with a cheerful smile. "You too class rep."

To the other three girls' surprise, Setsuna dropped to her knees and bowed deeply, nearly touching her forehead to the floor. "Welcome home Princess Asuna."

Shocked, Asuna glanced first to Konoka and then Ayaka, as if expecting either an explanation or assistance, before returning her gaze to the still kneeling girl. "Setsuna-san," she said in a confused tone, "what are you doing?"

"My Revered Lady," the swordsman replied, "as your humble servant, I am but showing you the honor due to one who is successor of a kingdom reaching back to the age of gods."

Red suffused Asuna's face as she stomped over to where Setsuna was. "Hold on a minute!" she roared. "Just because I accepted your offer doesn't mean you should start treating me differently!"

The shinmei-ryu's eyes snapped open at her words, but the girl's head remained inclined as Asuna knelt down. "Setsuna-san, look at me," she ordered.

Reluctantly, Setsuna looked up.

"Aren't you my friend?" Asuna asked. "Or was it just me who thought that?"

A stunned expression came over the swordswoman's face. "A-Asuna-san," Setsuna sputtered.

To everyone's surprise, Asuna buried her face in both hands. "I really did consider Setsuna-san a good friend," she sniffled. "But I guess you didn't."

"That's not … what I mean … forgive me Asuna-san," the dark-haired girl wailed.

"No, no I won't forgive you," Asuna sobbed. "Not until you promise to stop treating me like some high and mighty princess."

A huge grin was plastered across Konoka's face as both she and Ayaka watched the drama unfold.

"If you want me to forgive you, call me Asuna, no honorifics."

"Er, um, ah …"

"Say sorry Asuna my bad," she demanded.

"I … I can't do it," Setsuna insisted.

"Yes you can," Asuna responded, "or I won't believe you're serious."

"Sorry A … Asuna," the swordswoman breathed out. "My … my bad."

Grabbing her fiend by the shoulders, Asuna pulled her close in a fierce hug. "Apology accepted," she declared. "Don't do it again."

"She's learned how to handle Se-chan," Konoka murmured in an admiring tone before turning to Ayaka. "So how did the shopping go iincho-san?"

(-)

Konoka was puttering in the kitchen as Asuna packed the day's purchases into a suit case. "Those dresses will get wrinkled if you shove them in like that," Ayaka remarked.

"It's the only way they'll all fit in my bag," Asuna said.

"You're only taking one bag?" the class-rep asked.

"Well yeah," she answered. "Setsuna only has one bag too."

Ayaka glanced over to see Setsuna place a neatly folded stack of clothes into a canvas duffle bag. "We're going to be gone for several weeks," the blonde-haired girl pointed out.

"It's not like I have a bunch of stuff to take," she replied. "So how many bags did you pack?"

"Well, I … three," the girl admitted. "Plus a trunk."

"Geez," Asuna giggled. "That's probably as much as the rest of us combined."

"I want to make a good impression," Ayaka responded in her defense. "By the way Asuna-san, were you ever going to tell me about being a princess?"

Silence.

Learning that she was not only the heir of one of the Magic World's most famous families but the linchpin in its destruction had not been a happy discovery. Nor had meeting her father and finding out the man viewed his daughter as a mere pawn to use, and discard, in a grab for power.

"I only found out during the club trip last year," she finally answered. "It wasn't a pleasant experience."

"I'm sorry," Ayaka replied.

"Listen," Asuna continued, "about you coming along as my chief of um, chief of …"

"Protocol," the class rep supplied. "I know I forced my way into your group; however, I do know more about how to act in certain social situations and you would never have asked for my help."

Asuna had been about to raise another point when the class rep cut her off. "And don't start on it being too dangerous over there. Being here is dangerous."

She could only agree with that statement. Ayaka's assertion that she could be of help was also true, but the blonde girl's fixation on their former home room teacher made Asuna reluctant to accept.

"When this is over I want us all to come home safe and sound," the class rep told her. "There'd be no thrills in my daily life without you around."

"What are you saying?" Asuna wondered aloud. "That sounds plain creepy."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

(-)

**Argyre, Mundus Magicus**

Pascal ter Herne, acting chief of staff for Argyre's interim government, leaned back in his chair and politely listened as his guest spoke on and on. It wasn't that he disliked the man, normally he found Etienne very convivial company, but Lord du Jean was a politician at heart and Pascal had little patience for politics. It was a subject that left his mood as leaden as the overcast skies currently hanging over the city.

"And it would give Her Highness a chance to socialize with a future peer," the Hellian lord continued. "As you can see Monsieur ter Herne, it is a winning situation for all concerned."

Sensing a break in the other's arguments, Pascal pounced upon it. "Pardon but isn't your son Bernadotte only seven?"

"Most certainly," Etienne answered. "But he is a proper, young gentleman none the less."

"I'm sure that he is," Pascal quickly responded to head off the proud father further extolling his son's virtues. "I'm just not convinced that a seven year old boy would make the best companion for Her Highness."

"Beside," he continued, "any agreement we come to will likely be voided by Her Highness."

Her Highness. After the deprivations imposed during the late and unlamented King Enteofushia's reign, the idea of another ruler left Pascal uneasy. Asuna Kagurazaka had been raised in the Old World in apparent ignorance of her heritage. She was a companion of Negi Springfield, son of the Thousand Master, and had a pactio with the young mage; one of several Negi was reported to have. While that all spoke well of her, it didn't change the fact that the newly discovered princess had been an Enteofushian ally during last year's troubles. True, the Mage Council exonerated her and her friends of any wrong doing, but still …

Under centuries of Teotanasian rule, Argyre became a haven for elves although Pascal's people were never completely accepted. This suited the elves who preferred living in their secluded villages, but provided fertile soil for the seeds of mutual distrust to take root and flourish. Distrust turned into animosity and animosity bred violence. Until Princess Aricia left to wed Ostia's king, such violence had been sporadic. The Schismatic War provided an excuse for settling old scores, real or imagined, against the elves. Whole villages had been put to the torch by the northern armies with the willing assistance of Argyrean collaborators. After the war's end the situation grew ever worse.

Having fled Ostia, Saseru Enteofushia arrived in Argyre and immediately claimed dominion through his deceased wife. Elves led the resistance to the Pretender and suffered more dearly than any other race under his rule. However, it also left them as the only race completely free from his taint. A claim the new princess could not make.

"In truth Lord du Jean, I may be out of a job this time next week," Pascal observed. "Her Highness will undoubtedly wish a Chief of Staff of her own choice."

"She would be a fool to give you the sack," Etienne soberly asserted. "Yet if it should come to that, one with your talents will be most welcomed in Hellas."

Further discussion was interrupted by a knock. "Come in."

An attractive woman dressed in a clerk's robe stepped in bearing a stack of papers. "What is it Miss Fischer?" Pascal asked.

His guest immediately rose to his feet. "I thought you were my friend Monsieur ter Herne," the lord said. "Why haven't you introduced me to this charming young lady before?"

"Miss Fischer, this is Lord du Jean," Pascal reluctantly responded to the prodding. "Lord du Jean, this is Rebecca Fischer. She's a new member of my staff."

"Thank you, uh, Lord du Jean," she replied with a hesitant smile.

"Please call me Etienne," the nobleman told her.

"Master ter Herne," Rebecca said, "I have yesterday's updates on the inventory."

"Put them on my desk," he instructed the clerk. "Have there been any further problems with our mouse?"

"Yes sir," Rebecca confirmed. "Several mochi were missing from the work crews' lunches."

"What's this?" Etienne asked in surprise.

"We have a mouse pilfering food," Pascal explained. "Apparently one with a fondness for sweets."

"Ah, so you have a rather large mouse," Etienne remarked. "Have you considered setting traps out?"

"The situation's not as bad as that," Pascal chuckled. "But we should take care of this sooner rather than later."

Lord du Jean turned his attention back to the clerk. "Is the Mademoiselle engaged this evening?" he asked. "Perhaps you could join me for dinner tonight?"

Listening to Lord du Jean, Pascal was reminded of a childhood fable about a fox that invited a mouse for dinner. Things hadn't turned out well for that dinner guest and from the expressions crossing his clerk's face, she seemed acquainted with the story too.

"My apologies," she answered, "but there is so much work to do, I'm afraid I can't."

"Monsieur, you are a heartless task master," the lord accused, though Pascal thought the man showed more disappointment than anger.

"Well Lord du Jean," Pascal replied with a straight face, "the inventory must be completed before restitution can be made."

How complicated it all was. Personally, the Chief of Staff favored disposing of anything in the palace that the Pretender had so much as touched. However, such a course did not serve Argyre's best interests. After six long months, worked had progressed to the point that the first shipments were ready to send to Ariadne. He didn't envy Grandmistress Seras the task of ensuring the late king's victims received compensation; at least Her Highness would be spared that painful chore. 'The princess will have enough to handle as it is,' he thought and then wondered once more what his new sovereign would be like.

'Whatever else,' he told himself, 'the princess will need a hide as tough as a dragon's.'

Rumors were already running rampant through the city as those with nothing better to do speculated on Her Highness' relationship with the Thousand Master's son. Too young to marry the boy certainly was, but many in Argyre hoped to call Negi Springfield their king; just as many feared that possibility. Pascal wasn't sure where he stood in regards to such a union, but he'd have the chance to meet both soon and take their measure. Until then …

"Being the heartless task master I am," he said, "it's back to the grindstone for you and the other clerks Miss Fischer."

Turning to the Hellian noble, Pascal allowed a small smile to break out. "I'm expected shortly in council Lord du Jean," he informed the man. "Perhaps we can continue our discussion later."

"Of course Monsieur ter Herne," Etienne replied. "I look forward to it."

(-)

**Albor, Mundus Magicus**

Albor! How she hated that vile place! For most of her early life, Koyomi had lived in what was commonly known as the City of Slavers. Save for meeting and befriending Tamaki, Albor was devoid of pleasant memories. Lacking any direct flights between Mesembria and Granicus the cat-girl could understand switching airships, but why did she have to transfer at Albor? Knowing Ikoma, that bastard probably arranged her itinerary that way.

And what was that spikey haired, son of a bitch up to anyway? She had been entertaining the man when he received a mysterious phone call. Whatever the person on the other end said had upset Ikoma enough to send her on a mission to the other side of the world. Koyomi was currently the secretary of one of the most powerful members of the Council of Mages. Why chance ruining her cover when hiring a couple of nameless thugs to do the councilor's dirty work would be so much simpler?

'It doesn't make sense,' she thought. 'Unless … unless the reason was to get me out of Mesembria. But why?'

Pulling a bag behind her as she walked through the terminal, Koyomi tried to figure out a reason for such a ruse, if ruse it was. Had she been about to be unmasked? No, Ikoma would merely have sent her to a safe place. What could …

Thoughts were interrupted as a wheel of her luggage caught as it rolled over metal grating and stuck fast. The cat-girl spent a few, frustrating minutes trying to work the wheel free to no avail. As she was considering what to do next, two men, oriental by the look of them, approached from the opposite end of the terminal. The younger of the pair glanced over at her and the snagged bag.

"Pardon," the man said as he grabbed hold the handle and gave it a quick twist. The wheel popped free in response. "There you go."

Koyomi stood and stared at their backs as the two continued on without further word. They seemed familiar somehow, but she couldn't place either one of them. More perplexing however, was the fact that her eyeglasses were enchanted to make the wearer unnoticed by blending into the background. How then, had that young man seen her?

(-)

Standing to the side, Professor Akashi watched as his "student assistant" signed an autograph book for a young girl. At least Akashi thought it was a girl though it was difficult to tell with some of the Mundus Magicus' more exotic races. With her amber-colored eyes and rounded ears, the child reminded him of a tanuki.

Nearly bouncing with excitement, the little fur-covered fan squealed "Thank you Mister Oishi" before twirling about and dashing back to her parent. "Mama! Mama! It was him! It was!"

Although the fuss surrounding the reluctant celebrity was slowly subsiding, the professor still found the notoriety irritating. Although to be fair, it wasn't the young man's fault he was receiving attention; Hiro had been in the right place at the right time and acted as an agent should have. And the popularity among Ariadne's students had proven advantageous. However, Granicus would be a different matter.

While nominally under the Hellas Empire's control, Granicus was pretty much free to do as it chose within its borders. Last year's brawl between Negi Springfield and a shadow mage in the city streets was hardly surprising. It differed only in scale from what occurred daily. Citizens scrambled out of the way until the fight ended, collected their bets and then rebuilt. There would be no shortage of residents wanting to test the "new kid" out. Although Hiro had handled such problems up till now, the assassin might be out of his league in Granicus.

"Please master."

Akashi turned to see a couple striding through the lobby. At least the man was striding, while the woman with him struggled to keep up. From the waist up she appeared human but her legs and feet resembled those of a wading bird, including a knee joint that bent backwards to her companion's. Both had dark hair, but the woman's white as china skin contrasted starkly to her owner's swarthy complexion. A slave collar was fastened about her graceful neck. From it ran a chain that the man held tightly in a fist.

"You're going too fast," the bird-woman, burdened with their bags, pleaded.

Disdaining to reply, her master continued his pace unabated until the woman tripped and fell to the floor. "You're so useless!" he declared in a disgusted tone. "Get up!"

Quicker than Akashi thought possible, Hiro was there, offering his hand to the fallen woman.

"Shove off you!" the slave's master warned. "I don't need your help!"

"I'm not helping you," the assassin pointedly replied.

The stranger's booted foot lashed out but Hiro caught it with both hands. Quickly, the assassin twisted and pulled, sweeping the man's other leg out from underneath.

"Master," the slave cried as her owner spun in the air before crashing to the floor. Akashi hurried over, reaching them just as a pair of robed, security officers arrived.

"What's going on?" one of the guards demanded.

"The young lady here tripped," Hiro answered as he again offered a hand to the woman and helped her to her feet.

"And what about him?" the guard asked while pointing at the figure sprawled across the floor.

"He tripped too."

The slave owner groaned while rolling onto his back. With a rage-filled gaze, the man shouted at the guards, "Arrest that man! He assaulted me!"

"That's not true officer."

All heads turned as the autograph-seeker's mother approached. "I saw everything," the newcomer explained. "The woman here tripped and this man was helping her up when that fellow tried to kick him. He was just defending himself."

"I've got a right to defend my property," the owner shouted as he clambered to his feet.

Akashi watched as the guards glanced at one another before returning their attention to Hiro and the others.

"Looks like a misunderstanding," one of the guards loudly declared. "You all get going on your ways."

"What?" the slave master indignantly asked, drawing wrathful gazes from the security officers.

"Fine," the man spat out and then faced the assassin. "I'm going to remember you mate."

Hiro merely grinned in response.

"Follow me Norah," he ordered the bird-woman. As the man stepped away, he tripped over one of those rolling bags and lost his balance. Arms flapping wildly, the slave owner fell into an ash can, raising a cloud of black soot.

"I'll remember you too," the assassin softly chuckled as the belligerent owner finally stalked away.

Akashi cleared his throat prompting a surprised sounding "what?"

"I was trying to be a Good Samaritan sensei," Hiro said in his defense. "Live up to my reputation for helping little old ladies cross the street."

Sadly shaking his head and thinking of Granicus, the professor turned away, mumbling "Let's get back to the ship before anything else happens."

(-)

'Way to go,' Hiro thought as he stood near the boarding gate. 'Can't even stretch my legs without causing an incident.'

Beyond the glass enclosure, he could see the automated baggage cart zip away from the terminal towards the waiting airship.

Of more concern to the young man was a hallucination prior to offering assistance to the bird-woman. For a moment, it felt as if he had been thrust into an anime where the main character's conscience suddenly materializes. But instead of a shoulder angel, Beatrix was standing on his right-hand side; on the left, to his amazement, stood her friend Emily.

"Somebody should help that poor girl," the illusory Beatrix observed. To which the sheep-eared girl added "What are you waiting for? An engraved invitation?"

As a spirit of temptation, Emily Sevensheep failed; however, Hiro could easily picture the mini-skirted cadet waiting for him at the gates of hell with arms crossed and toe tapping impatiently. "You're late!" she would complain. "Fix your tie! Stand up straight! No smoking!" If hell did exist, then an eternity of having to listen to that bossy girl's orders would be true torment.

"Come along Norah."

Hiro turned towards the slave owner's voice. Although the man's face had been scrubbed clean, traces of ash still adhered to hair and clothing. As their eyes met, the assassin could see the instant clenching of the other's jaw. After a silent moment, the owner blinked and stepped to the opposite side of the gate for the flight to Granicus.

"Great," Hiro muttered. "Just great."

Turning his back on the pair, he noticed a cat-girl quickly return her gaze to a book as if trying not to be caught staring. Recognizing the overly large glasses, Hiro recalled that her bag was the one he had pulled loose earlier. Since she seemed busy trying to convince herself that the book was interesting, he returned his gaze back to the flight line.

Thoughts returned to the earlier hallucination. 'Am I cracking up or what?' he wondered. 'Maybe it has something to do with that pactio. I guess I should talk to the professor about it.'

On his way back to the cabin, Hiro was in for a further surprise when Norah and her owner checked into a berth on the same deck as his. A discovery none of them seemed particularly pleased about.

Throwing himself on the bench seat, he took out his pactio card and gazed down at an outlandish figure dressed like some sort of video game ninja. Rendered in English letters as '_Sasuci Hiro'_, his name was blazoned across the lower half of the card, with the words '_Carnifex Solitarius'_ appearing on the line below.

"Hey sensei," Hiro said. "Can I ask you about this pactio?"

Akashi looked at him, a shocked expression on the man's face as the professor asked, "When did you make a pactio?"

"Well I was on my way to a dance and these two perytons …"

After explaining the circumstances to the professor, Hiro handed over his pactio card for the other man to examine. Several minutes passed without comment from his fellow agent.

"So what do you think sensei?"

Professor Akashi continued studying the card. "I can't really say," the magic teacher finally answered. "I agree that there does seem to be something off about it."

Glancing down at the picture, Hiro thought that the edges appeared less distinct, more blurred than he remembered on the original. "You don't think there's a problem do you?"

"No, not that I'm aware of," the professor replied and then passed the card back. "But then I've never heard of a pactio being transferred in that manner before."

A puzzled look crossed the middle-aged man's face. "Most mages would cancel the first pactio and then start over for the new one."

"I'd recommend having a reputable pactio merchant check it out just to be sure," the professor added as Hiro pocketed the card. "Still, I wish you had discussed it with me beforehand."

"Sorry sensei," the assassin said while absent-mindedly rubbing the back of his neck. "It seemed like the thing to do at the time."

Akashi chuckled at his response. "You know I imagine my daughter would say something like that," the man remarked. "Fortunately, Yuna doesn't know any boys well enough for that to be an issue yet."

"So what's Granicus like sensei?"

"Are you familiar with the American Old West?" Akashi asked in return.

"Only what I've seen in movies," Hiro answered.

"Well, Granicus has a similar reputation," the professor answered. "It's not lawless by any stretch, but their definition of what's legal is a bit looser than other places. I'd definitely watch my back there, particularly around the arena district."

Considering that Tosaka and the man's friends were from Granicus, Hiro could appreciate the warning. "Not to worry," Hiro told him. "I promise to be on my best behavior."

"No, really?" the young man exclaimed at his companion's arched eyebrow.

"Right," Akashi replied, using a tone that sounded less than convinced. "If you have some time, I have a little project I'd like help on. How's your English."

"Not bad," Hiro answered.

Akashi pulled a thick volume from a carryon bag and held it out.

"_An Introduction to Virtual Microscopy in Pathology_," Hiro read aloud. "Sounds like a bit of light summer reading."

"I met the author at a conference last year," the professor explained. "She's working on the second edition and asked for my inputs."

Hiro turned the book over and found an attractive woman's picture on the back. Opening to the front page, he saw an inscription that read '_To Yuji from Michiko, Thanks.'_ This was followed by a little heart shape. "Looks like you two hit it off."

"Dr. Yagi is the chief pathologist at Boston General Hospital and is on the faculty at Harvard," the other man said. "I have the utmost respect for her."

Wisely, Hiro chose to forgo any further comment, asking instead, "How can I help sensei?"

"I'd like you to take my notes and translate them into English."

"That ought to keep me occupied for the rest of the trip."

"My thought exactly."

(-)

**A/N: Ah pactios. Of the four pactios in this chapter, the cards belonging to Makie and Sakurako conform to their "official" cards in appearance, and Makie has the artifacts presented in the manga. Since the manga didn't release any data on Misa and Madoka's pactios, I can feel free to indulge myself a little. More information will be forthcoming.**

**And speaking of pactios, Hiro's title "Carnifex Solitarius" translates to the Solitary Executioner. His virtue is Audacia, planet is Jupiter, color is Rubor and direction is Centrum. He does not have an artifact as the Magic World denizens don't normally produce them. See Emily Sevensheep's comments in chapter 212 about how special Yue's pactio was.**

**The chapter title and header comes from a quote by Sylvia Bremer, an actress of the silent film era. **

**Mochi is a rice cake that is popular as a snack.**

**The slave Norah is a Kinnari, a creature with the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a swan. Her name comes from a Thai legend of a Kinnari named Manohara.**

**Virtual microscopy refers to the posting and transport of microscope images on/over computer networks.**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Still plugging away. My thanks to the usual suspects.**

**Ken Akamatsu owns Negima and its characters. Cycilia Sevensheep was created by MakuhariFan_01 and is used with his permission. Hiro Sasuki, Phillip Markham and others are my original characters.**

**The following conventions are use: "**words**", '**thoughts**', spells, **singingand** '**_reading_**'**

**Para Bellum**

**If you want peace, prepare for war **- Vegetius

**Fortes Airway Flight 1219, Mundus Magicus**

Pushing the chair away from the small desk, Hiro stood and stretched his arms over his head. Though not particularly tall, his fingers pressed against the cabin's ceiling.

Professor Akashi looked up from a book at his student assistant. "How's the translation coming?"

An open book and a large pad of paper lay upon the desk. "Not bad," he answered. "I just need to take a break."

The older man nodded and set his own book aside. "I have something for you," the professor said as he pulled out a wooden box from a suitcase. "Courtesy of Cycilia Sevensheep."

The box was about the size of a laptop case and was held shut by a simple clasp. While a decided non-expert in such matters, the assassin could tell that the box was expensive. "Doesn't feel like chocolates," he remarked while twisting the clasp open. Inside the velvet lined compartment laid a pistol.

In appearance it reminded Hiro of a futuristic weapon from a Hollywood movie. "… the hell," he said as the assassin lifted the gun, a confused expression on his face.

"Considering your trip so far, Miss Sevensheep thought it might come in handy," the professor told him. A smile started to break out on Hiro's face until the man continued with "Especially since you're nearly family."

"She didn't say that did she?" he asked, suddenly concerned about how the elder Sevensheep viewed his relationship with her daughter. He didn't have a pactio with Emily any more, but the girl's mother might not be aware of that fact yet.

"No, she didn't," Akashi replied as the older man's lips inched upward, saying "gotcha" more eloquently than words. "But she did want to thank you for your help with the perytons."

Cocking his head to the side, Hiro thought for a moment. "So you already knew about the pactio card."

"Not about the transfer," the professor admitted, "but yeah."

Hiro pointed the pistol at the floor and gazed down the sights. "Does this fire a death ray or what?"

"Close," the mage-agent answered. "It fires a bolt of magic energy equal to a Sagitta Magica spell, but doesn't require the user to be a caster himself. They usually come with a re-chargeable power source good for a dozen or more shots."

"Is this thing loaded?"

The professor shook his head no. "Transporting this and a power source would have caused problems with customs," Akashi explained. "However, where we're going picking one up shouldn't be an issue."

Checking down the side of the barrel, he noted an inscription. The letters were European and read "_si vis pacem para bellum_". Hiro secured the weapon back in its case. "Any chance we can scrounge up a holster for this?"

"I'll see what I can do," his companion said. "Heading out?"

"I want to take a walk and stretch my legs," Hiro replied. "Don't worry sensei; I'll be a good boy."

Walking down the corridor, he passed the cabin the bird-woman and her owner had checked into. Thump! The door vibrated as something heavy slammed into it. Hiro caught himself reaching for the handle and took a reluctant step back. 'Not my problem,' the assassin thought as he continued down the passageway. 'Not my problem.'

Like most airships, each deck had a lounge. This one's was located on the outside of the gondola and allowed passengers a view through large windows. Only the attendant and one other passenger were about and with nose firmly planted in book, the other passenger didn't seem inclined to enjoy the scenery. A half-full glass filled with some sort of pink liquid rested on the reader's table while a short skirt revealed a shapely pair of legs.

"Can I get you anything?" the attendant asked with a friendly smile.

"I'll have a Granicus Smasher," he replied. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a pair of black rimmed spectacles peek over the top of the book and then quickly dip back down. Drink in hand, he approached the reader. "I don't mean to pry," he said, "but do you normally read books upside down?"

Startled, the woman glanced up at him and then back down at her book. A delicate pink rose in pale cheeks. As he suspected, it was the cat-girl whose rolling bag had been stuck at the terminal. Silently she set the book in her lap and reached for the glass. She looked to be about the same age as Beatrix and her black hair was cut short like the cadet's, but there the resemblance ended. Her face was rounder and far more fragile looking, like a porcelain doll's. Of course, she was also cute, an admission that promptly summoned the imagined shade of the younger Sevensheep. With crossed arms, the spectral Emily gave a disgusted "hrmpf".

"_Azrael's Sword_," Hiro read aloud, recalling its author who had been targeted by a pair of hired killers. "Any good?"

He wasn't sure she was going to answer when the woman finally muttered, "It's kind of boring."

"I picked it up just to have something to read," the cat-girl explained. "By the way I didn't thank you before."

"For the bag? Think nothing of it."

"No, not the bag," she said with a trace of vehemence as her gaze lifted. "I mean for that loathsome man back at the terminal."

"You're welcome, but you don't have to thank me," he told her. "I don't have much use for people who can only feel important by belittling others."

The cat-girl gave a rueful smile at his response. "That makes you different from about 90% of other people," she said. "Are you bound for Granicus?"

"I thought to spend a few days there," he answered.

"You seem like a good guy so let me give you a word of advice," the woman said as she stood. "That punk from the terminal is nothing compared to the lowlifes that crawl around Granicus. They'll think nothing of chewing a good guy up and spitting him back out."

"Watch your back," she warned while walking away.

"I'll do that," Hiro softly replied as he watched her depart. He particularly enjoyed the way her curled tail swished in the direction opposite of the skirt's hem.

Tilting his glass to Emily's glowering visage, he muttered "cheers."

Back in the passageway, Hiro saw Norah's owner balancing a basin while trying to unlock the berth's door. The air carried a faint scent of vinegar as the other man, now sporting a black eye, glanced at him. "What do you want?" the slave owner sneered.

"Not a thing," the puzzled assassin answered before moving to the side and continuing on. "Not a thing at all."

**Ebisu Station, Tokyo**

Uncomfortable in the press of bodies around him, Gyeon followed the crowd out of the train station into the slightly less crammed streets. In appearance, he was a middle-aged man of medium height with an angular chin and high cheekbones; no more remarkable than any other salaryman taking the train home from work.

Ahead he saw a takoyaki stand and veered towards it. Having received his order, Gyeon cautiously bit into the piping hot roll and savored its flavor. While far from the best he'd ever had, the dumpling was good for a street vendor.

He was considering a second when an attractive woman approached. "Tongmu," she said in a barely perceptible tone. "Follow me."

Tongmu had originally meant "friend" in Korean, but was later adopted in the north as a title; much like "comrade" was to their Soviet counterparts. Dumping the unfinished takoyaki into a waste bin, Gyeon followed as bidden.

Though he had never met this woman before, she slipped her arm through his and chatted about the weather as they strolled down the street like any other couple. A few blocks from the station, they turned into a karaoke box and rented a room. Once inside, his companion disengaged her arm as the smile fled from her face. "You have something for me?" she asked.

As an agent, Gyeon didn't have too many opportunities to enjoy a pretty woman's company. Hell, as a Korean Zainichi most Japanese women wouldn't even give him the time of day. Reaching under his coat, he removed a small, manila envelope and held it out. "The target will be flying out tomorrow morning on her personal jet," he said. "A complete itinerary and passenger list are inside. She'll be accompanied by several friends from her school."

The woman nodded in understanding. "Most unfortunate for them," she remarked. "I wish we could have had more warning."

"It seemed to have been hastily put together," Gyeon said. "Something to do with the unexpected arrival of a distant cousin or some such."

"Do we know anything about this cousin?"

"Next to nothing," he replied. "Caucasian, blonde, male about 16; obviously from her mother's family."

"Keeping hold of him might prove useful," his companion responded.

Politics was a very complicated game the agent knew. Ever since the end of the Second World War, his true homeland, for Japan could never be considered such, had sought strategic alliances against their Western opponents. But over the years, those alliances unraveled. First the Soviets dismantled their empire and now the Chinese were cozying up with the enemy. If they were to achieve their rightful place in the world, they would have to count only upon themselves; even if it meant resorting to acting like gangsters.

"What about security precautions?" the woman asked. "And did we place any of our people in the crew?"

"Standard," he promptly replied, "and no, they hired a crew outside of the company."

"Oh?"

"The details are included," Gyeon assured. "Some American expatriates living in Thailand. Several years ago they ran a courier business but it apparently tanked and they've been freelancing since."

"Very well, good job agent," the woman said and as she made to leave, Gyeon's face fell. "What's wrong?"

"Well … we did rent the room for half an hour," he hesitantly answered. "Wouldn't it look suspicious if we left too soon?"

"Eh," his companion replied as if surprised by the thought. "I don't know …"

"Let's do one song," he suggested.

Inwardly Gyeon cringed as the woman's expression clearly said what she thought he could do with the microphone, however he was completely caught off guard by her "Fine … one song and it better not be 'My Way'."

(-)

**High School Dormitory, Mahora**

Trains packed with students traveling to and from the many campuses of Mahora, glided past although many of those self-same students wouldn't use glide or any other term that implied a smooth ride. North of the tracks stood three buildings comprising the Mahora Girl's High School dormitory. Grouped about a triangular court, the structures blocked off view from the street of the outdoor baths, or rotenburo, used by the dorm's nearly 1800 residents.

With so many people utilizing the baths, time was tightly scheduled and jealously guarded. Poaching another class's bath time had led to retaliation several times. Considering the imaginative nature of the student body, some of these had attained near legendary status, able to provoke chuckles or grimaces upon mention.

Ako and Akira had volunteered to setup for Class 1A that evening. Armed with Markham-sensei's checklist, one of many their homeroom teacher wrote during his short time as a dorm advisor, the pair quickly completed their tasks and began to undress. After all, besides making them good classmates, doing the setup meant being first in the bath.

Seated on a plastic stool, Akira squeezed a small bit of soap into her hand and began to lather her arms in a mechanical fashion while her thoughts were centered on the girl only an arm's length away. She had known the Ako since grade school and been friends nearly as long. In fact, she had first used her powers to rescue Ako when the girl had struck the diving board at the school pool; the same accident that scarred her friend's back. After that, the taller girl had felt a responsibility towards her classmate. Not that Ako needed a nurse maid, but the short haired girl did have a habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Like in the Mundus Magicus.

They had been separated from the others when the gateport was destroyed; no friends, no money and unable to speak the language. Out of the entire group, Ako contracted a life-threatening disease. Purchasing a cure led to their debt-bondage to a wealthy merchant. And if becoming a debt-slave wasn't bad enough, Ako became involved with Kosmos Entelechia's plot, was later kidnapped by a disgruntled bounty hunter and then nearly arrested by one of Governor-General Gödel's henchmen.

These past few days had been worrisome too. Ako had seemed unusually distracted; much like when the girl was mooning over Professor Springfield's supposed cousin Nagi. If their former teacher was the cause of this too, Akira would have to have a firm talk with him.

In fact …

"Akira?"

Glancing about, Akira found the subject of her thoughts kneeling beside her. "Er, um, what?"

"I asked if you'd like me to scrub your back?" Ako said.

"Oh, sure," she answered.

"You seemed lost in thought?" the other girl remarked as hands spread soap over her back and began to gently rub. "Is everything okay?"

"Fine, everything's fine with me," Akira hastily told her. "How about you?"

"I've been thinking about that other place," Ako answered while beginning to scrub more vigorously. "I wonder if we did the right thing in stopping Kosmos Entelechia."

"What?" Akira spun around, her face mirroring the shock she felt. "How can you possibly think that?"

Ako hands dropped down, scattering flecks of soap in the process. A thoughtful look was on the other girl's face.

"When I think about Shirabe-san and the others," Ako began, "they seem like decent, caring people. I can't see them as villains bent on world destruction."

"Ako," Akira softly replied. "Have you forgotten what they did to Asuna? Professor Springfield at the gateport? Or how our room in Ostia looked?"

The charred remains of their room were a vivid memory and left little doubt as to its author's intent.

"I haven't forgotten," her friend answered. "But knowing them as I do, I can't help but wonder if they might not have been trying to prevent something worse."

"Kosmos Entelechia was going to destroy the world; what could possibly be worse?"

The thoughtful look fled to be replaced by a disarming grin. "I guess you're right Akira," Ako said while rising to her feet. "I'm just being silly aren't I?"

She had seen that grin before and knew it was a sham. Concerned about what her friend might be contemplating, Akira stood only to have a foot shoot out from beneath her. Grabbing desperately on for balance, she managed to pull both of them to the floor. They landed in a heap with Akira on top, her legs straddling the other girl's thigh.

Ako's face was scant centimeters away and an embarrassed flush was coloring the other girl's cheeks. Akira could feel the flush in her own when she realized that each had a thigh pressed firmly against … against … against a very sensitive area.

"Sorry?" she stammered as the rotenburo's doors swung open, admitting several towel clad classmates,

In the lead, Yuna excitedly called out "Hey guys! I have this idea for a … new … club." From behind Akira could see several classmates with quizzical looks on their faces and one smirking rumormonger.

"Ako … Akira … what are you guys doing?"

Quickly Akira lifted a hand to her forehead. "Oooh I'm so dizzy," she said aloud before whispering "Help me out here."

"Akira … Akira are you alright?" Ako hurriedly responded. "Give us a hand here; Akira nearly fainted."

As classmates gathered round, Akira gave her friend another look and wondered what the other girl was truly thinking.

(-)

There were times when Misa grew nostalgic over the middle school's bath hall. A lot of good times were had in there, including that cheer up Negi party; but walking into the rotenburo nestled she decided it was a fair trade off.

A waterproof pouch, containing her pactio card, dangled from a cord looped about a slender wrist. At times the teen could forget about magic's existence. Lessons with Ishikawa-sensei and demonic attacks aside, it was easy to do. However, the card was tangible, something she could hold in her hand and gaze at to remind herself of magic's reality. Not bad for a piece of paper little larger than a playing card.

Yet the pactio card was no mere scrap of paper; it was an enchanted item woven from the very essence of the two people making the contract, or so Ishikawa-sensei had said. In a way the card was like a friendship ring. No, she amended, it was stronger than that; maybe more like an engagement ring. And all of it was brought about by a kiss.

'If you kiss for a provisional pactio,' she wondered, 'what do you do for a permanent one?'

Before Misa could pursue that thought further, she was interrupted as her name was shouted out. Glancing around, she spotted Yuna approaching.

The two girls had been classmates since kindergarten, although they began in separate rooms until the untimely death of Yuna's mother as the school, unable to hire another teacher on short notice, was forced to shuffle students around. In a group full of exceptional personalities, Yuna managed to stand out; being both a gifted athlete and extrovert extraordinaire definitely helped. Although Misa considered her classmate to be more than a little out there, Yuna never failed to support their most outrageous schemes; not a few being hatched by the basketball player herself.

"What's up?" Misa asked.

"I have an idea for a new club," Yuna answered, "and I wanted to see how much interest there is for it."

"We have a lot of martial arts type clubs, right: kendo, shooting, karate?" the girl eagerly explained. "Why not have one that uses tanks?"

"Tanks?" Misa glanced blankly at the grinning face before her.

"Yeah, tanks," Yuna replied. "You know those things that roll around and shoot these really big shells out of cannons."

"I know what a tank is," Misa responded. "But a school club devoted to tanks?"

"Hey we'd be just like any other club," the other girl gushed enthusiastically, "but riding around in a tank, firing 75 millimeter shells … it would be fantastic."

"But the Military Club does that already," she countered.

"Only a couple times a year," Yuna pointed out. "I'm talking every week here."

Personally, riding around in a tank held little appeal for Misa, and the thought of it being commanded by Yuna was downright scary.

"We could call it sensha-do," her classmate continued. "I bet we can outdraw the calligraphy and flower arrangement clubs. Maybe even get it approved as an elective."

Confused, Misa absent-mindedly scratched her head as she considered how to turn Yuna down without hurting the other girl's feelings. To her immense relief, luck chose that moment to smile as another classmate entered the rotenburo. "Hey Zazie!" Yuna called and then flitted off with a "Think it over, okay?"

Shaking her head slightly, she joined her fellow cheerleaders at the edge of the pool.

"So are you signing up for the sensha-do club?" Madoka teased as Misa settled into the water.

"Yeah, right," she replied. "Like I want to spend my afternoons in a clanking tank inhaling diesel fumes?"

"Tanks?" Sakurako glanced at her two friends with a perplexed expression on her face. "I thought Yuna was talking about a car wash club."

Raising a hand up as if to cover a cough, Misa hid her smile as Madoka's eyes rolled at their friend's clueless comment.

"Have you figured out what your artifact is?" Madoka asked.

Misa admitted she hadn't before reaching into the pouch to remove her card.

"Should you have that out?" Madoka asked while glancing anxiously about.

"Only our class is here," Misa pointed out. "We have the bath to ourselves this evening."

The Misa on the card wore a blouse that appeared more like a sleeveless vest and sported a large brooch that incorporated trumpet valves in its design. Below the character's bare midriff were a slit skirt and a belt of alternating black and gold triangles that was double wrapped about the hips. Laced boots, skintight leggings, arm wrappers and headphones completed the ensemble.

"I still think your outfit looks better than a cheerleader's uniform," Sakurako remarked as an ominous shadow loomed over them.

"Is that a pactio card?" an angry voice demanded to know.

Misa squinted at the shadowy figure with its back to the sun; slowly it resolved into their classmate Anya. The youngster's expression was even grumpier than usual and for a moment Misa swore flames flickered in the other girl's eyes. "Uh … yes," she answered.

"That's … too … cool," Yuna exclaimed as she swopped down upon them. "Hey everyone! Misa-san's got a pactio!"

Like friends suddenly sprouting up around a jackpot winner, Misa found herself engulfed by classmates who pelted her with questions, when, where, how but surprisingly not who, at a rate that left the teen's head spinning.

"What was that?" a dazed Misa asked.

"I asked if you've tried your artifact out," Haruna repeated.

"Um … no."

"You've got to try it," Yuna chimed in. "Just say **Adeat**."

"Wait a moment!" Anya shouted.

"You can't just try out an artifact without a clue about what it does," the tiny mage protested. "Kakizaki-san might blow up half the dorm before she knows it."

"So have Yue-san look it up in that Orbis-whatchamacallit of hers," Yuna replied.

"Way ahead of you," Yue said. Misa looked over to see a massive book spread across her classmate's lap.

"Siren Vocare, the Siren's Call," Yue read aloud. "The artifact broadcasts the user's voice over a large area and, like the Sirens of old, can entrance listeners making them susceptible to suggestions."

"Sounds safe enough," Yuna replied while smirking in Anya's direction. "Why not try it?"

'Why not indeed?' Misa asked herself as she climbed back out of the pool.

"I still say …" Anya began to protest but was cut short with an "**Adeat**!"

Even though barrier walls surrounded the open air bath, a wind gust swirled about Misa's ankles and snaked its way upwards, eventually lifting purple-tinted locks from the high school student's back and shoulders. As the wind rose higher, pieces of costuming materialized, eliciting a chorus of oohs and ahs from her classmates. At last the wind faded, leaving her dressed as the figure from the card.

"What an entrance," Sakurako remarked while Haruna added "Just like a magic girl."

Fumika pointed at her and asked "What's that number for?"

Misa gazed down and noticed the numbers 0 and 3 had been tattooed on her bicep. "What the …?"

"Do the rest of you have a pactio too?" Fuka asked and after Sakurako and Madoka nodded yes dejectedly added, "I feel so left out."

"Why don't you try it out?" Yuna asked.

"Now wait a minute," Anya protested. "Kakizaki-san has no idea how to use this."

The pint-sized mage faced her classmates. "She could turn you all into drooling zombies or …" Here Anya stopped her rant and gazed at her fellow students before turning away with a disgusted "Never mind."

"So what do I do?" Misa asked aloud.

"Why don't you try singing something?" Sakurako replied.

"But what?"

"How about that song we were practicing yesterday?" Madoka suggested.

"Okay," Misa agreed as she adjusted the microphone. "But let's do this together."

Flanked by her two bandmates, Misa began singing and was joined by their harmony.

Is this the real life?

Is this just fantasy?

Caught in a landslide

No escape from reality

Open your eyes

Look up to the skies and see

I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy

Because I'm easy come, easy go

A little high, little low

Anyway the wind blows, doesn't really matter to me, to me

(-)

Sitting at the desk in her room, Natsume balanced a pencil on its point. With head resting against one arm, she lifted her finger off the eraser and watched as the pencil fell over. Her class had voted to put on a play for this year's festival and she was in charge of the production. They needed costumes, they needed a place to practice, they needed to assign parts; it seemed so overwhelming.

If only she hadn't suggested a musical. Anybody could recite lines, but not everyone had a good, singing voice. Few of the characters mattered, as they would sing mostly as a chorus; three however, were critical: the innkeeper, her friend and the prince. Who was going to fill those roles?

'I wonder how Konoka-san's voice is?' the reluctant director thought as she considered her classmate for the main character. But then Natsume recalled that Setsuna wouldn't be around for rehearsals and maybe not even the festival. 'I'd need another prince.'

Just then, she became aware of singing coming through the open, kitchen window.

I see a little silhouetto of a man

Scaramouch, Scaramouch will you do the fandango

Recognizing the voices, Natsume ran to the door, smiling as she went.

Thunderbolt and lightning - very very frightening me

It was more than a little surprising to find the door to the bath jammed with students from other classes, even some from the upper levels. Pushing her way through the crowd, Natsume reached the front row as the song was winding down. Near the edge of the pool, the trio of cheerleaders stood. Misa was dressed in an outrageous costume with her two, towel-wrapped friends on either side. Around them stood a hundred or more high school girls, each wearing an expression of rapt attention.

Ooh yeah, ooh yeah

Nothing really matters

Anyone can see

Nothing really matters - nothing really matters to me

The rotenburo was silent save for Sakurako and Modaka's accompaniment as Misa's finished with a softly sung

Anyway the wind blows...

A moment of silence passed before the audience broke out into a thunderous ovation.

Over the noise, Natsume heard Yuna tell Zazie that "You should get one too." She didn't understand what her classmate was referring to, but it didn't matter at that moment; she had her vocalists. Now the question was how to get them to volunteer.

(-)

"What do you mean you're not packed?" Chisame glared at Chachamaru who in turn gazed back with a perfectly blank expression on her face. "You're leaving tomorrow morning."

The audio collection projections on either side of the gynoid's head raised and then lowered as multi-threaded processors compiled an array of possible responses and calculated each one's most probable outcome, all within the allowed tolerance for error.

"I've maintained a proper inventory of items in my travel bag since returning from the class trip," the robotic girl explained. "I don't have that much to add."

Gently she lifted the lingerie purchased in California from the bag and inspected it. When trying it on in the store, she had liked how it and the matching pieces looked; however, Markham-sensei's reaction to it left her uncertain. His expression when she stepped outside the dressing area was unfamiliar and required a brand new entry in her catalog. Her teacher avoided looking at her when the two were traveling in Chisame's virtual world, at least until both were clothed, and he seemed ready to bolt when she opened her access panel. From how hard the man's hand shook trying to insert his data stick into her USB port, he was obviously upset.

"Chisame-san," Chachamaru said, "is there something wrong with my body?"

"Huh," the web idol replied. "Why would you think that?"

A grey cloud of depression settled over the girl as she hung her head. "No reason I guess."

"You're going to pack that?" Chisame was glancing at the body suit in her hands. "Good. It looks cute on you."

"Really? You think so?"

"I wouldn't have said so if I didn't," her roommate replied.

"Thank … thank you." The corners of plasticized lips turned upwards.

"What are you thanking me for?"

"For being there to reassure me when I start to doubt myself," the gynoid answered and then moved over to retrieve a sealed parcel from the table. In the Mundus Magicus, she had discovered that magic energy could be packaged in an aerosol form. Following the school trip, she had started ordering through the mail so as not to inconvenience the few mages among her classmates. Her main spring still needed winding, but with "Mana-in-a-Can" anybody could do it for her now. Of course on this trip Negi would be available …

"What's that silly grin for?" Chisame demanded. "Don't tell me you're thinking about that little gigolo?"

"If by gigolo you mean Springfield-sensei," the gynoid responded, "I must remind you that a gigolo is defined as a young man who engages in sexual relations with and is supported by a woman. Neither condition applies in his case."

Before the hacker could launch a scathing reply, Chachamaru headed her off. "Have you decided to accept the student council position?"

"The … student … council … position," Chisame slowly repeated before turning away with a "No."

"I think you should."

"I didn't ask."

"Chisame-san," she called softly. "Why do you think sensei asked you to do this?"

The other girl stared at the wall and remained quiet.

"The Chisame-san I fought at the festival was resourceful, daring, a brilliant tactician and formidable opponent," Chachamaru continued. "In the Mundus Magicus she proved an able second-in-command and, as needed, a leader capable of analyzing our strengths and maximizing their effect. Precisely the sort of person needed now."

"Life was so much simpler before he came. I only needed to worry about myself and what I wanted to do," Chisame sighed in response. "I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be in charge and I don't want the responsibility."

"I like video games because they don't carry any risk," the web idol admitted. "This is different. Lives depend on the decisions made. If I make the wrong choice, I can't say they're only pixels on the screen and call it good. Sometimes I wish I could wrap myself in a cocoon and just stay there."

"Eventually the caterpillar must leave its cocoon," Chachamaru said, "else there'd be no butterfly."

Chisame gave a derisive snort. "Is that supposed to inspire me?"

"No it's merely an observation," the gynoid answered. "We are at war and it feels as if a million enemies surround us. I can say little with any certainty but I can say this: Chisame-san is one of a few classmates I trust to lead."

(-)

**Demon Realms**

A dim sunlight, filtered by the perpetual cloud cover, lit the barren landscape. His opponents, identical women with long, black hair dressed in similar trench coats and wide brimmed hats, stood facing him. A western style hat tilted across his brow in imitation of earthly gunfighters while a pair of six shooters hung off his hips. From behind, the sounds of hooves and wagon wheels crunching over metal shavings came, but Ravan ignored them in order to concentrate on his enemies. Fingers flexed in anticipation.

A flash of movement was his warning as each woman started to draw her weapon. Magic circles flared about Ravan's wrists as pistols teleported from holster into his hands. Blam! Blam! Blam! A single bullet smashed into each of the trench-coated figures who dissolved into a cloud of smoke.

"Oh well done Ravan," a mocking voice congratulated. "Now if only you could have done that to the real one."

Keeping his back turned to the speaker, Ravan reloaded both pistols before holstering them.

"Too bad she died before you could have a rematch eh?" the voice continued.

"Get lost Wilhelm," the demon gunman said. "I'm in no mood for your lip."

"Would you be interested in a bit of revenge?" Count Wilhelm von Graff asked but was answered with frosty silence. "I'm recruiting for an attack in the human world."

"I could care less what you and your human allies are up to," Ravan scornfully replied with special emphasis on the word human.

"Too bad," the count said in response. "It will be at a place called Mahora."

"Mahora!" Ravan spun about and glared at the smiling demon. Behind the count stood a black carriage drawn by a team a skeletal horses that pawed impatiently at the ground.

"Why yes," Wilhelm said as the count's smile broadened. "The same place Agent Akashi was from. I understand her daughter is following in her footsteps as a gun mage."

Ravan's face mirrored his inner conflict as the desire for vengeance warred with a refusal to be manipulated. In the end, it seemed vengeance won out. "I'm in," he declared and then turned dismissively away.

A whip cracked and the carriage began moving as smoke clouds reformed into the semblance of the woman who had defeated him the last time. Once more, fingers flexed as the gunman muttered "I will have my revenge."

(-)

**A/N: This has been going slowly. In my defense I've been reading massive amounts (for me) of manga, all in the name of research of course, and do have several pages written so I'm hoping the next chapter will be out quicker.**

**The heading is a translation of the Latin phrase "si vis pacem para bellum" and is attributed to Roman author Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus (a lot of us's there). The lyrics are from Queen's ****Bohemian Rhapsody**** and are included because the song's awesome.**

**Hiro's gun looks strongly like the DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol used by Han Solo in the ****Star Wars**** films. The prop in the film was based on the Mauser C96 semi-automatic pistol.**

**Takoyaki is a popular snack food containing octopus. Akira's club ran a takoyaki booth during the summer festival in chapter 90.**

**Zainichi is a term meaning foreigner residing in Japan. Zainichi Koreans are immigrants or their descendants who came over (or were relocated) during the period when Korea was under Japanese rule. **

**A karaoke box is a business where one rents rooms to sing karaoke in, hopefully without annoying all the other patrons. The group date in chapter 339 of the manga wound up in such an establishment.**

**My thanks to the Trinity Translation Team for their work translating ****Strawberry Mahora 01**** into English. This doujin inspired the scene between Ako and Akira. The Team maintains a blogspot, but it is age restricted due to adult content.**

**Sensha-do, or the way of the tank, comes from the ****Girls und Panzer ****anime series/manga. The series is another in a line of military moe girls with really BIG GUNS.**

**Misa's pactio costume is based on Vocaloid Megurine Luka. While not the most famous Vocaloid, she seems to come closest to Misa Kakizaki's design.**

**Magic in a can**** appeared in chapter 337 of the manga. I've used Mana here for semantic reasons. To me, Mana is the energy used to power spells and such while Magic is the technique or art of casting spells.**

**I hope you continue to enjoy.**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Well, that was quick. Actually, several sections were written over the past year and languished in various word files until I was ready to use them. The princess and her court are ready to leave and calamity is sure to be nearby.**

**Negima and its characters are owned by Ken Akamatsu. Certain others are based on characters created by Rei Hiroe for his series "Black Lagoon."**

**The following conventions are use: "**words**" and '**thoughts**'.**

**The Jaws of Death**

**Boldly they rode and well, into the jaws of Death –** Tennyson

**Teacher's Dormitory, Mahora**

Thursday morning, D-Day. His roommate had left for a morning jog, accompanied by Kotaro, as Negi finished packing. "Good luck," was all Mr. Markham had said, though the man's disappointment was clearly evident. Kotaro's was too, however the boy's stemmed from being left behind and "missing out on all the fun."

Fun? Some of their trip might be enjoyable, but if Lord Rallentando's descriptions of court life were anything to judge by, it was likely to be more than a trifle boring. Still compared to the events of last year's trip, boring would be preferable. But just in case …

Negi lifted the sword and partially slid its blade from the scabbard. Uncle Owyn called it a falchion and said it had passed down through several generations. Since Nekane had little interest in weapons, his uncle had gifted Negi with the sword after extracting a promise not to jump into any more frigid lakes. After securing the blade, he laid the falchion into his suitcase, picking up a pistol in its place.

The gun was an antique and had been a gift from Stan. "A sword is only as good as the arm that wields it," the old, pipe smoking mage had explained. "Until your arm grows into it, you'd be better off learning how to aim this."

Nekane of course had been less than pleased with the two men, and insisted that the weapons be safely stored until Negi entered Meldiana; an event that occurred much sooner than any of them had anticipated.

Carefully, Negi put the pistol back before turning to a cartridge belt holding the ammunition; three loops remained empty. Reaching into his coat pocket, he withdrew some special bullets that Hakase-san had helped him prepare. The first was a copy of Chao-san's time displacement bullet that had wrecked so much havoc during last summer's festival. The second round was a barrier buster that was designed with the multiple shields employed by Fate and others of Kosmos Entelechia's higher echelon in mind. Those two were quickly stored.

The final bullet was silver in color and if Negi stared at it long enough, he could perceive the runes scribed into it.

"What is that?" Chamo asked, perhaps sensing the power contained.

"Something I hope I'll never need," Negi replied as he placed the ammo within the suitcase.

"All done Big Brother?" Chamo asked.

"Almost," he replied. Stepping into Phillip's room, Negi placed the Yasakani no Magatama on the man's dresser. Many texts mentioned the jade beads, whose shape reminded him of an animal's claw, but said little on what they could do. According to the lilim, demons avoided the magatama. While this could prove helpful in Mahora's defense, there were too few to make a significant difference.

Holding out an arm for Chamo to clamber up, he smiled and said, "Time to go. We'll meet the others at the train station."

"Are we heading to Tokyo Big Brother?"

"Not this time," he answered. "We're flying out on one of the Yukihiro Corporation jets."

The ermine gazed up with concern reflected in his eyes. "Not Ayaka-san's personal jet?"

"I didn't ask," Negi said recalling only too well the image of his face surrounded by scores of pink and red hearts. Grabbing hold of his bag and staff, he opened the front door to find a particularly cross-looking Anya standing outside. "Um, uh, good morning."

"Don't you 'good morning' me," his childhood friend snapped as veins in her forehead throbbed.

"Is something wrong?" he innocently asked.

"Something's wrong alright," Anya angrily answered. "How many is it now?"

Negi glanced down at Chamo who looked equally confused. "How many … what?"

Flames flashed in the girl's eyes as teeth ground together before she managed to screech, "How many young maidens have you despoiled the lips of?"

"Ma-maidens?" he sputtered. "Despoiled? Wh-what?"

"Your new partners were showing off their pactios last night," Anya shouted back. "Just how many partners do you need Casanova?"

"Now Ane-san," Chamo started but stopped as her furious gaze fell upon the ermine.

"And you," she replied with unbridled contempt. "You're the one who pushed him into it. You're the cancer that infected …"

"Chamo-kun didn't push me into anything," Negi calmly declared, surprising both girl and ermine. "I made those pactios in hopes the girls would be better able to defend themselves and Mahora. If you want to be angry Anya, be angry at me."

Fully expecting Anya to lash out like in the changing room, Negi braced but was unprepared as she glanced towards the floor. "At least …" she muttered as a faint blush reddened her cheeks, "at least you had a reason."

Anya's gaze came back up as the young mage straightened her shoulders. "But I'm going to walk you to the train station," she declared. "So don't get any funny ideas."

Wisely deciding to avoid saying anything that might inflame her anger again, Negi nodded in acceptance and then started for the stairwell.

Mahora's streets were seldom empty, but this morning saw few others about. As they walked in stony silence, Negi reminisced about their childhood: growing up in the same village, their shared loss when the village was attacked, attending Meldiana, last year's trip to the Mundus Magicus and after they returned, Anya's confession that she felt something for him.

Anya had been there through both the bad times and the good. Even when, in her words, he was being particularly dense she never failed to be at his side. And having received such unfailing support, how did Negi repay her? He had accepted her friendship, her feelings, and gave nothing in return. True he didn't think of her in a certain way, here the youngster had to push away intruding images of other girls, but didn't his oldest friend deserve better than to be taken for granted?

A thick tree limb, heavy with foliage, stuck out over the sidewalk. "Anya," Negi softly called as they walked beneath only to feel a pair of hands grip and pull him upwards.

"What?" Anya replied and then glanced around as he failed to answer. "Negi?"

With legs straddling her waist, Negi found himself seated on Zazie Rainyday's lap. Holding a finger to her lips, the acrobat gave him and Chamo a conspiratorial wink. Below, he could hear Yuna's cheerful voice. "Yo Anya-san. What's up?"

"Negi just disappeared," his agitated escort answered, causing Yuna and the rest of the sports quartet to begin babbling at once.

"Quiet!" the little, red-headed Russian demanded. "I can't even hear myself think with that racquet going on!"

"Anya-san's right," Yuna said as the others quieted down. "Where were you going?"

"We were on our way to the train station," Anya answered.

"Okay," Yuna quickly replied. "Makie. You and Anya-san head to the station and see if he shows up there. The rest of us will backtrack to the teachers' dorm."

"Right!" Makie immediately agreed. "Let's go."

Grabbing hold of Anya's hand, the gymnast dragged her protesting companion down the street. "No! Wait! NEGI!"

Once the pair had disappeared from sight, Zazie set Negi back on the ground and dropped from her perch as Yuna breathed a relieved "whew."

"What is this all about?" the young mage asked his former students. As one, Ako, Akira and Zazie turned towards their flustered ringleader.

"Uh, Negi-kun," Yuna stammered. "It's, um, like this you see …"

To his surprise, Zazie spoke up. "What Yuna-san is trying to ask sensei is would you consider making me one of your provisional partners?"

Negi looked at the dragon-girl who had asked to join Team Negi just a few, short weeks before. Although Zazie indicated a willingness to become his partner, it hadn't seemed that important to her.

"Is this what you want Zazie-san?" he asked and watched her silent nod yes. "Why?"

"It is true that I came to Mahora not understanding the place it occupies in both worlds and the importance of its mission," she replied. "But I have learned."

"The home and friends I had in the Balkans are but a distant memory. What matters more are the friends I've made and the home I've found here."

"Those who mean Mahora ill are powerful. Just as you sought for the power to defend the Mundus Magicus, I seek enough power to defend this place. That is why I ask … no, that is why I beseech you to take me as one of your partners."

A heartbeat passed and then a second before Negi responded with the inevitable "Draw a circle Chamo-kun."

As he despoiled the lips of maiden number 18, the young mage couldn't help but remember that moment when Zazie had stood before him with an open blouse; a guilty flush crept into his cheeks as Negi recalled the sight of dusky-colored breasts covered by lacy, white fabric.

'Maybe Anya is right,' he thought to himself. 'Maybe I am turning into a randy, old goat.'

As the light from the pactio spell faded, a scream of "Negi!" sliced through the morning air. Glancing at the end of the block, Negi beheld an angel of vengeance wreathed in a fiery shroud. No matter that said angel stood little more than a 130 centimeters tall and massed under 35 kilograms, neither fact made the apparition any less intimidating. "This could have gone better," he muttered as the very flames of perdition streaked forward.

The words of his counter spell died as arms enfolded him. "Let us sensei," Zazie whispered in his ear.

A geyser of water shot out of a storm drain, turning Anya's fire spell into a cloud of steam with a furious hiss. Leathery wings warded off the scalding mist while to the side, a guitar softly strummed, draining tension away with a soothing melody. Though she still held him, Zazie folded back her wings, letting Negi survey the battlefield.

Four of his partners had summoned their artifacts and were costumed appropriately, including Zazie who wore a bizarre, jester's outfit complete with a fool's cap. A thoroughly soaked Anya blew water from her lips while Makie, with hands resting on knees, panted several paces behind. With all of the noise they made, he was amazed that heads weren't sticking out of windows or people scrambling into the street. Maybe the neighbors were used to strange goings on by now.

Shaking off his newest partner's hold, he walked forward, all the while feeling like a condemned man on his way to the executioner. Anya's eyes narrowed and nostril flared at his approach. "You have every right to be angry," Negi said as he stopped well within arm's length.

"You have no idea," a low voice growled in response. "Angry doesn't begin to describe it."

Even if their trip was scheduled for only a few weeks, the last thing Negi wanted was to leave with Anya still upset with him. Letting it fester during his absence wouldn't do either of them any good, nor was it fair to his longtime friend. Steeling himself for the likely outcome, he uttered "Then I guess there's only one way this can end."

So quickly that no one else could react, he closed the space between them and pressed his lips against Anya's. Outside of pactios, he had only initiated one kiss in his life. Though to be truthful it was difficult to tell whether he or Nodoka was the instigator. Not this time.

Anya's hands clenched the fabric of his coat into a tight ball, holding Negi fast rather than to push him away. When the Narutakis told him of the World Tree legend, kissing Anya had crossed his mind only to be swiftly replaced by another; however, the youngster couldn't deny how pleasant the sensation felt. When she did finally push him back, he reluctantly gave way.

Various emotions flicked across the girl's face, though thankfully anger didn't seem to be among them. No doubt they would be having a very, long talk upon his return, but the wail of a distant police siren forestalled any further conversation. Perhaps the neighbors weren't as used to strange goings on after all.

(-)

**Yukihiro Mansion, Mahora**

"Negi!"

Dark shapes loomed ominously as Ayaka bolted upright, only to resolve into four wooden posts. Panting, she gazed about as vague shadows melted into the familiar contours of her bedroom. Still shaking, she slipped out from underneath the covers and struggled into a robe as a polite knock sounded.

"Is everything alright ojou-sama?" an anxious voice asked.

"Yes," she swiftly replied. "I'm fine. I … I had a bad dream is all."

A bad dream it certainly was, yet Ayaka wondered if that was all. When Professor Springfield went off on the club trip last summer, she had blithely assumed sensei and the others would return shortly and in good health. Nearly two months later, the group stumbled back to Meldiana and every one of them looked as if they had been chewed up and spat out by a monstrous grinder. At the time, she had held her tongue, grateful to have them all back. It wasn't until just a few weeks ago Asuna told her what really happened in the Magic World.

Now Negi-sensei and Asuna planned on returning to that awful place; would they be so fortunate again? That concern had motivated Ayaka to force herself into their party. She would ensure nothing improper occurred between the princess and their former teacher, and do her level best to prevent Asuna from embarrassing herself. Beyond that though, the girl was uncertain of what help she could offer.

Thoughts of the impending trip reminded her of another obligation. Stepping into the hall, Ayaka padded down a few doors and halted. Waiting a moment after rapping softly, she asked, "Are you awake Rallentando-dono?" The young nobleman had become a guest since her family's mansion offered the only suitable quarters for one of his station. Receiving no reply, she pushed the door open. "Lord Rallentando-dono?"

Blankets, stripped from the bed, were piled in the center of the floor creating a nest that the marquis had curled up in. With stealth honed by Nagasi-sensei, she glided towards the sleeping boy and then called his name.

Marcato sat up, his eyes clear and alert. "What is it Yukihiro-san?" he asked. "Are we under attack?"

"No Rallentando-dono," she answered. "It's time to get up. We'll be meeting her Highness and the others."

Her Highness. That was another issue that irritated Ayaka to no end. Becoming that violent ape-girl's social inferior was difficult, but she would cope with the situation. No, the real issue was how could she compete with royalty for sensei's affections? In all of her not quite sixteen years, Negi-sensei was the only person outside of family that she found worthy of her love. At this point in her thoughts, an image of another boy rudely intruded and was rapidly shoved aside. What was she to do?

Sensei wasn't the type whose affections could be bought nor did a pretty face grab his attention. Both academic achievement and athletic prowess failed to impress the boy as well. The girl's he had shown interest in, Asuna, Bookstore and Ku-san were so unlike each other that no discernible connection existed. What was it about them that Ayaka lacked?

That question kept revolving through her thoughts all the way to the airfield where her private jet, the Negi Love II, waited. After seeing its namesake's embarrassed reaction to the original paint job, Ayaka had it touched up. Sensei's smiling face was splashed across the fuselage and the boy's hand flashed the "V for Victory" sign, but gone where scores of surrounding heart shapes.

"Is that your airship?" the marquis asked. Ayaka answered "yes" and waited for a snarkish response, but the nobleman shocked her with a compliment that it was "a very good likeness of Master Springfield."

The airfield director approached in the company of three strangers. "Miss Yukihiro," the director said in English, "these people are your flight crew today."

The pilot was a tall, muscular, black man with a bald head. Next to him stood the co-pilot, a white male with glasses and whose blonde hair fell well below regulation length. The final person was a woman with Asian features who wore a flight attendant uniform.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Yukihiro," the pilot said.

"The pleasure is all mine," Ayaka replied. "If you'll excuse me for a moment."

Taking the director to the side, she demanded to know where her normal crew was.

"Your regular crew wasn't available," the man answered. "These people are very familiar with the route and the company has done a thorough background check on them."

"You have nothing to fear," the director said, but Ayaka couldn't shake the feeling that those people weren't as they seemed. Still she reasoned, with who would be on board, her group should be able to handle any problems that might arise.

(-)

**Saint Ursula's Convent, Mahora**

It was late enough in spring that morning light filtered through the window shade before the windup alarm clock sounded. Cocone lay awake on the bed for its ring to officially start her day. No doubt Sister Shakti would chide the youngster for lazing around, but this early morning quiet was her time to think, to reflect on the day just past and plan for the day to come. So she had the child's ritual been since arriving as yet another foreign exchange student.

Three years ago Cocone Fatima Rosa had stepped off of the gateport platform to be immediately confronted by a strange world with a multitude of bewildering languages and customs. Selected as the eighteenth participant in a project vital to the Hellas Empire's future, that burden weighed heavily across tiny shoulders as she was guided through immigration. At the exit, a human with grey hair and mustache, wearing a priest's collar, waited for her. Like her immediate family, Cocone was a member of the church, but she wasn't sure what to make of the man until he smiled. Such a kindly smile it was, the sort that could melt all anxiety and reservations away with its warmth and sincerity.

"Rosa-dono, it is a privilege to meet you," the priest said as he bowed in greeting. "I am Father Sasagawa and I have been asked to escort you to your new school."

"Thank you Father," Cocone had replied and then returned his bow. "Where is my school?"

"You will be attending the Saint Ursula's Convent School," the man replied. "It is located in a secluded city in the country of Japan; a place called Mahora."

Tranquility was shattered as the alarm screamed its wakeup call. Feet dashed across cold tiles as the child raced to shut it off. Pouring cold water into a porcelain basin, Cocone splashed it against her face and then proceeded to brush out her hair. After it had been shorn nearly all away, a necessary sacrifice for the experiment, the child had feared her hair would never grow back. Wearing a habit had started because the convent didn't allow hats indoors.

Fingers quickly unbuttoned the linen nightgown and let it slip to the floor as dresser drawers were pulled open and shoved closed in rapid succession. Shoes and school bag waited by the door. Cocone was out of her room even as the first bell tolled, calling the faithful to morning prayers.

"Cocone," a stern sounding voice called and she dutifully turned to find a sterner pair of eyes regarding her.

"Yes, Shakti-san," the girl responded.

"The Father requires your presence," the nun announced and then spun about. "Follow me."

Less than two hours later, the young student was seated between Sister Shakti and Kataragi-san as the dark bearded agent drove out of the city to a small airfield attached to the grounds of the Yukihiro estate.

Thoughts twisted this way and that as the child sought the reason for her sudden recall. As part of the experiment, Cocone had to return for an annual examination. Last summer's trip had been interrupted by the near destruction of the Mundus Magicus, but she had made up for it during the winter break so it couldn't be for that. Once in the Father's office, Agent Kataragi handed her an imperial summons, but neither man could or would explain anything other than to reassure the girl that all of her family were in good health.

Perhaps this had something to do with Kagurazaka. Misora had mentioned that Asuna received a summons earlier in the week. It was not unreasonable that being associated with the other girl, people at court would want any information on the princess she possessed. Cocone sincerely hoped that was all to it, but being related to the imperial family, albeit distantly, made her a potential pawn for certain factions.

'I wish Misora was coming along,' she thought as the car stopped at a security gate. Kataragi-san produced some papers and the guard waved them onto the field. They parked near a private jet painted with Springfield-sensei's smiling face and Cocone could see several individuals milling outside: Negi-sensei, Asuna-san, Ayaka-san, Setsuna-san, the robot girl and …

As soon as Sister Shakti stepped away from the car, Cocone was out and running. "Marrrrcato!"

Under a glamor the marquis may have been, but she would have recognized the warrior no matter what he looked like. Lips stretched into an ear to ear grin as she launched herself upwards for hands to deftly pluck from the air and spin her around in a circle, causing both Ayaka and Asuna to duck beneath her out flung legs.

"Cocone!" Marcato happily cried before setting her back on the ground.

"I apologize," he said. "Had I known you were here I would have paid my respects earlier."

"Looks like they know each other," Asuna whispered to Ayaka, prompting a "You think" in response.

"Your Highness," Marcato said, "may I introduce Lady …"

"Cocone-san," Asuna cut him off, "what are you doing here?"

"Princess Asuna," Cocone replied as she bowed, not catching the other girl's twitch. "Like you, Her Imperial Majesty has requested my attendance at court."

"Er, what?"

"Rosa-san received an imperial summons as Your Highness did," explained Sister Shakti as the young nun approached them. "The headmaster was hoping she could travel with your entourage."

"Entourage?" Asuna muttered, provoking Ayaka to whisper back "Don't think to hard or you'll strain something."

The bell wearing teen gave her chief of protocol a dirty look before responding with an "I guess, if the plane is big enough."

"My jet can accommodate more the a dozen passengers," Ayaka assured.

"You received a summons Cocone?" Marcato quietly asked.

"Yes," she answered. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong my lady," the nobleman replied. "Just surprising considering …"

A piercing whistle ended their conversation as all eyes focused on a uniformed woman standing at the bottom of the entry stairs. Dropping hands down, the newcomer grinned at them. "Listen up! The pilot's finished with the pre-flight stuff," the woman announced, "You may now board the aircraft."

Cocone glanced at the others who appeared as taken aback as she by such abruptness, prompting their flight attendant to shout "C'mon, c'mon! Let's move it people!"

(-)

**Office of Inter-School Cooperation, Mahora**

For as long as Yue could remember, books had been her world. Even as a little girl, trips to visit her grandfather meant hours exploring the philosopher's library much to her parents' exasperation. However, grandfather understood her passion and abetted it to the greatest extent possible. Instead of picture books she devoured works by Tanabe and Nishida as well as translations of Sartre, Rousseau and Plato. Yet for all of her passion, Yue had gone through nearly 15 years of life with no real goal or purpose.

That all changed upon the arrival of one Negi Springfield, ten year old teacher and wizard. A new world, every bit as exciting as her grandfather's library opened up. Never much for studying, Yue searched high and low for books on magic, spending hours reading and practicing on her own in addition to the hellish workouts Evangeline McDowell put all of them through. Still she wondered for what purpose was all of this effort for. The answer came during a trip to the Mundus Magicus.

The city of Ariadne's Valkyrie Brigade was the elite unit of the magic world. While Emily Sevensheep and the girl's friends weren't actual Valkyries, they were well on the way. Yue had fought alongside them at Ostia, and apparently had impressed someone enough to be leant armor and allowed to train with the others. Valkyrie Knight Ayase still sounded slightly silly to her ear, but the opportunity was there to be seized.

She could see the future before her. Dressed in battle armor, Yue would be able to look at Negi-san as an equal, someone worthy of mutual respect. "I'm so very proud of you," he would declare. Stepping closer, Negi would cup her chin with his hands and then …

THUMP!

Yue jerked upright and glanced about. Had she been daydreaming?

"Miss Ayase!"

Doctor Amelie Cote, visiting professor from Ariadne and former Valkyrie, glared down at the teen. After last fall's troubles, Ariadne had decided to send representatives to Mahora and the other Mundus Vertus schools. Dr. Cote has been an instructor in the pre-cadet program and had readily agreed to coach Yue through that syllabus.

"Is it the subject that bores you," the woman asked, "or my presentation?"

"Neither Ma'am," Yue answered and then fought to stifle a yawn. "It's just that there's been so much to do that I haven't gotten enough sleep."

"I do sympathize with your situation, what with the festival and all," Amelie replied. "But if you wish to pass the entrance exams and qualify as a cadet, you'll need to know this information."

"Yes ma'am," Yue said before finally giving in and yawning into the back of her hand. "Please continue."

The doctor picked up a heavy tome from the floor and returned it to the desk before continuing with the lecture.

"As I was saying, the grid points mapped out by Dr. Sanderson and others show that magical energy tends to pool at certain points rather than defuse equally about the planet."

"Furthermore," the doctor picked up a piece of chalk and began drawing a wave like pattern on the board, "these points of concentration, Sanderson's Vile Vortices, are distributed nearly equidistant along the 25th parallel both north and south of the equator. These are traditionally connected to one of two paths referred to as the Feathered Serpent or Rainbow Serpent."

"Magic energy flows between each of the vortices along channels." Dr. Cote began drawing a series of connecting lines. "This network extends to about the 55th parallel both north and south and is what popular literature calls ley lines."

"Dr. Cote," Yue interrupted. "What about areas that lie outside the 55th parallel?"

"The poles are considered special cases," the woman replied while drawing two spiral shapes at both top and bottom of the map. "Some magic energy leaks away from the network and drifts, much in the way atmospheric gasses drift off into space. Over time this free energy has accreted at the poles, but the network itself is confined to the areas with the greater proportion of population. It's not been proven whether population distribution affect this energy or the reverse."

"I've noticed that many of these vortices are near gates," Yue observed. "Are they one in the same?"

"No, the gates are constructed not natural phenomena," her instructor explained. "Although I don't doubt the sites were chosen to tap into a readily available energy source."

"Do the vortices always remain in one place?" Yue asked.

"No they don't," Amelie answered. Using the chalk, she drew a line from the southern tip of Florida, out to a point in the Atlantic Ocean, down to the island of Puerto Rico and back to Florida. "They do shift over time, much as true poles do, but have remained within certain bounds such as this one off the American coast."

Yue concentrated on the outline a moment. "Isn't that what's known as the Bermuda Triangle?"

"Very good," the professor answered. "That is the popular term for that area."

"Is the vortex what's responsible for all those ships disappearing?"

"It's possible that the concentrated energy could create an effect spontaneously," Amelie told her, "possibly strong enough to render mechanical devices inoperative, leading to many mishaps, some with tragic results. There is a verified case of aircraft that were translocated from here to the Mundus Magicus. But I highly doubt this is responsible for every ship that is claimed to be missing."

"So does the Mundus Magicus have these vile vortices too?"

"Indeed they do," came the response. "Though oddly enough, the subject hasn't been studied there as much as in this world?"

A bell softly chimed, indicating that Yue's studies had ended. "Continue your readings and we'll start in on the next chapter of Volst's Mana Mechanics," the professor said. "And do try to get enough sleep to stay awake."

Yue quickly gathered her things and departed. She missed Dr. Cote collapsing into a chair as pain exploded in the woman's chest. A remnant of the battle that ended the Valkyrie's career, Amelie sat and waited for the episode to pass. Serving in the brigade had been an honor, and training its new recruits a privilege. Fervently the doctor hoped to be around to see this one succeed too.

(-)

**Urup Island, North Pacific**

The island was a miserable rock jutting out of the sea. A piece of ground good for little except dying for yet even today the Russian and Japanese governments argued who had the better claim to it. People had lived here not so many years before, clinging fiercely to this spot of earth as moss to stone. War and politics had emptied the island, but at the same time both made it strategically important.

The World War II era air strip had been maintained for a while after the war, but it was eventually abandoned too. Officially it still was, however the numerous tents and prefabricated huts lining one side of a runway gave lie to the "official" line.

Engines screamed as a pair of MiG 23s, each proudly bearing a brilliant, crimson star, roared down the runway, rising into the air well before the land dropped suddenly into the sea. Several more MiGs were parked at the far end along with a large cargo craft clearly marked as Russian. Kapitan Giorgi Tupolev watched as the fighters climbed higher into the sky.

Next to the officer stood a woman wearing a red dress, matching hat and a pair of pink tinted sunglasses. Being very blonde and, from her accent, very American, Giorgi was surprised by her presence, but Comrade Laptev had vouched for her. And Vasili Laptev, an arms dealer who had formerly been KGB, was trusted by those higher up than a mere cargo pilot.

"There they go," the woman observed and Giorgi acknowledged her remark with a curt nod. "Not much for conversation are you?"

"Junior officers such as I have little to say," he replied drawing a chuckle from his companion.

"How refreshing," she remarked. "Most of the officers I've met have been more than willing to talk my ear off."

Considering how attractive the woman was, Giorgi could believe her statement. No doubt such conversations had been more than idle chit chat; however, he couldn't help but feel that she shouldn't be here, not with the cargo he'd brought or with the North Korean fighter squadron training on the island.

"I'm going inside," she announced. "It's too chilly to stay out here."

Without comment the kapitan watched as she walked around the corner and out of sight. There was much more to Comrade Laptev and this woman than he had been told. His superiors would have informed him if he needed to know, Giorgi mentally argued yet a black cloud of uncertainty hovered overhead. One day the junior officer might rise to a position where he would be able to see how the multitude of puzzle pieces fit together; until then he'd, as his American counterparts might say, shut up and color.

(-)

**A/N: Why oh why Zazie did they have to cut out your chapter in the school festival arc? Zazie's pactio costume is the outfit she wore in chapters 348 and 349 of the manga.**

**The chapter title and heading are from "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Lord Alfred Tennyson. I wonder if Tennyson is still studied in English Lit classes.**

**Negi's sword appeared in chapter 182, as well as a cartridge belt, and was then completely forgotten about for the rest of the manga. Honestly, the kid had so many cool toys that he should have had a utility belt.**

**Cocone's background was hinted at but never fully explained. At various points the manga states that she is Misora's Magister Mage, she can read thoughts (though maybe not to the level Nodoka's artifact can), she's a Mundus Magicus native and took part in project that provided her an artificial body for use in the Mundus Vertus. Since the artificial body was never explained in any detail, I've dispensed with it in this story. Instead, Cocone is in her own body (after being surgically altered to remove racial traits like horns), but carries a battery that recharges from ambient mana in her vicinity. Fear of exhausting this energy could be the reason why Cocone doesn't use spells, although it is possible that she hasn't learned any at her age.**

**Tanabe and Nishida refer to Japanese philosophers Hajime Tanabe and Kitaro Nishida. The other names mentioned refer to Jean-Paul Sartre, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the Greek philosopher Plato. **

**Ivan Sanderson was a noted biologist with an interest in the paranormal. He originated the term "Vile Vortices" for areas like the Bermuda Triangle that have a large number of unexplained disappearances. Ley lines, while coined by Alfred Watkins for the pathways that connected ancient sites such as Stonehenge, have worked their way into modern occult and fantasy literature as sources or conduits of magic energy. **

**Urup is one of the Kuril Islands. While not one of the islands currently under dispute between Japan and Russia, there is still some contention over the chain since the Soviet Union was not a signatory of the Treaty of San Francisco.**

**Vasili Laptev was a minor (i.e. short lived) character from the "Black Lagoon" manga. He and some others from that series served as inspiration for several characters in this chapter. If you're familiar with "Black Lagoon" I'm sure you've spotted them already.**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I do understand that Negi is the main character and all, but I'm still somewhat peeved at how little most of the girls were utilized. I get that Konoka is a white mage, but one attack spell cast the entire arc? Cocone, although a minor character, is another. She is the second person we learn who has a pactio partner and is powerful enough that her Minister Mage has an artifact; however, you'd never know it by anything she does. That's why I enjoy fanfiction; it helps address short comings in the original.**

**As always, my thanks to MakuhariFan_01 for his help.**

**Ken Akamatsu owns Negima and its characters. Likewise for Rei Hiroe and the Black Lagoon Company. **

**The following conventions are use: "**words**", '**thoughts**' and "spells".**

**Into Twilight**

**Headin' into twilight spreading out her wings tonight – **Tom Whitlock

**North Pacific Ocean**

Seventy-five minutes after liftoff, the Negi Love II was cruising over the Pacific at 42,000 feet. Weather was clear and visibility excellent; everything was running smoothly. Well, maybe not everything. Slamming the flight deck door behind her, the flight attendant stormed into the cabin.

"Auuugh!" the woman loudly exclaimed. "I hate little, snot-nosed punks!"

Wearing a grin that belied his innocent tone, the blond-haired first officer asked, "Problem Becky?"

The attendant's return glare could have melted steel into slag. "Yeah I got a problem moron!" she shouted back. "What in hell is taiyaki?"

Her glare intensified as the man snickered in response. Meanwhile the pilot said, "Don't get your panties in a twist. Taiyaki are those waffle biscuits shaped like fish."

"Stupid job," the woman complained. "I thought we signed on to deliver these brats safely to Sacramento, not serve snacks and sodas."

"Miss Yukihiro's father is paying well for this junket," the pilot reminded her. "It ought to be enough to make up for the inconvenience."

"And it beats being chased by hitmen across the South China Sea," the first officer added.

"Then you go back there and play stewardess Benny," she snapped. "I'll sit up here with the headphones on."

Ignoring her comment, the blonde-haired man leaned forward and stared at the twin blips that suddenly appeared on the radar display.

"That doesn't look good," Benny muttered as the jet's radio squawked to life.

"Gulfstream-Seven-November-Lima," came out of the headset. "We show two unidentified aircraft heading your way."

"Control, we see them too," the first officer replied. "They're moving fast like military jets."

"Gulfstream, our records don't show any in your area," the controller responded. "However, you are over international waters."

"Damn!" Benny tore off the headphones as a high-pitched squeal filled his ears. "That hurts!"

"What's up Benny?" the pilot asked.

"We have two bogeys approaching from the west," the man answered. "And somebody is jamming our radio frequency."

"Looks like you can skip the snacks right now Becky," the pilot said. "Got your guns handy?"

"When don't I Dutch?" she indignantly answered. "Though I hope you're not expecting me to jump out with both barrels blazing."

"Hey, I'm getting something on another frequency," Benny said. "But the guy's jabbering so fast I can't tell if he's speaking Japanese, Chinese or what."

"Go get our client's daughter Becky," the pilot told her. "May be she can translate."

With headphone pressed against one ear, Ayaka's brow furrowed as the girl listened intently to the transmission. "We're to turn immediately to a 260 degree heading," the teen gravely informed them. "Or we'll be shot down."

"Damn," Becky swore softly. "What do we do Dutch?"

"What the hell do you think?" the pilot answered as he pulled back on the Gulfstream's yoke and banked the aircraft into the required direction. "Tangling with a couple of fighters isn't in my job description."

"What could they want?" Ayaka asked aloud.

Dutch glanced over his shoulder at the girl they'd been contracted to see safely to California. "At a guess," the man remarked, "they want you or one of the other passengers. Since they don't seem to care whether it provokes an international incident or not, we've either got some rogue pilots or a rogue government involved."

(-)

"And that's the situation," Ayaka informed her fellow passengers.

"So we're being skyjacked and forced to who knows where," Asuna said.

"According to my sensors," Chachamaru interjected, "we are heading in the direction of Russian territory."

Asuna gave the gynoid a cross look and muttered, "That makes me feel so much better."

"What sort of armament does this airship carry?" Marcato asked and was shocked to learn that the jet was unarmed.

"Even the least merchantman in the Mundus Magicus is armed," the upset noble pointed out. "How could you be so careless with Her Highness' safety?"

"I thought we agreed to quit the 'Your Highness' nonsense," Asuna complained. "And we don't need any more weapons than we already have."

"It's still highly irresponsible," the marquis countered before turning to Negi. "I'm unfamiliar with your world's airships Master Springfield; what's the best way to dispatch them?"

Several pairs of eyes gaped at the young noble's words. Even Negi was at a loss for a reply. He was perfectly capable of 'dispatching' two fighter jets, but to do so without the obvious use of magic was more problematic. Besides having qualms over endangering the unknown pilots, there was the possibility he'd have to defend himself a second time before the Mage Council; something that Negi would rather avoid. More importantly, dealing with the jets wouldn't answer some critical question.

"Those two aircraft aren't the issue," Negi finally answered. "We need to find out who sent them and why?"

"Isn't the why obvious?" Marcato asked. "Just like that golem they were undoubtedly sent by Her, um Asuna-san's enemies."

"That's a possibility," the young mage replied, "but not a certainty. The Yukihiros are a wealthy and influential family in this world. As for the rest of us, we've all made enemies in the past."

"Can even Cocone-san say," here he glanced at the tiniest passenger, "that somebody with a grudge against her family isn't behind this?"

Silently, the dark complexioned girl shook her head in response.

"I think it best to pretend cooperation until we can learn more," Negi concluded.

"Then I shall do as you suggest," Marcato reluctantly agreed. "However, Asuna-san's safety is paramount."

"My safety is assured," Asuna said as her hand lightly grabbed Setsuna's arm, bringing a blush to her bodyguard's cheeks. "So what's our plan Negi?"

"To quote a mutual friend, it's time for some intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance," he answered. "Can you tap into those jet's communications Chachamaru-san?"

"They're using a standard radio frequency," the robotic student answered. "I should have no problem monitoring their conversations."

"Then this is what we'll do," Negi started when Chamo interrupted.

"Big Brother, what about Ayaka-san?" the ermine asked.

"What's that Chamo-kun?"

"Everyone else here can call upon magical assistance if trouble starts," the ermine explained. "Shouldn't you consider making a pactio with her too?"

Iincho-san's face lit up at the suggestion while veins in a royal forehead throbbed.

"Oh yes sensei," Ayaka said as the school girl's pupils transformed into heart-shapes. "Take me …"

A loud gurgle issued from Asuna's mouth as Ayaka continued, "… as your partner."

"Not a chance!" Asuna shouted. "No cradle robbing shota …"

"Cradle robber?" the class rep shrieked back. "Look who's talking!"

"Enough!"

The bickering stopped as everyone stared at a grim-faced Negi. "Chamo-kun's raised a valid point and arguing won't solve the problem."

"Sensei," Chachamaru called. "If a pactio with you is going to cause discord then I must point out that another option exists."

All eyes were glued on the robot. "As we have ample evidence for, nothing prevents those of the same sex from forming a pactio."

Outside of the Negi Love II, the air was split by thunderous shouts of "WHAT?"

(-)

**Urup Island**

Elbows rested on the padded chair arms as hands, with fingertips pressed together, presented a pose of contemplation rather than prayer. Vasili Laptev had been a KGB field agent and later a station chief until the Soviet Union's disintegration. Seeing the handwriting on the wall, he quickly switched allegiance to one of the New Russia's mafias, but had made a serious miscalculation during a war between rival Tokyo mobs. Lucky to have escaped with his life, Vasili entered the equally shadowy world of an international arms dealer. However, complications were rearing an ugly head once more.

Vasili had been hired to arrange the handover of 4 "decommissioned" SS-20 missiles to North Korea. Fine. No problem. A perfectly acceptable arrangement, only now the Koreans had unexpectedly introduced a new wrinkle in the person of Ayaka Yukihiro.

'Why take such a chance?' Vasili wondered. She was the younger daughter of the CEO and majority shareholder of Yukihiro Worldwide. 'Someone like her won't be as easily missed as a schoolgirl from Niigata. There has to be more to this than simple extortion.'

Try as he might, the arms dealer couldn't perceive any advantage in kidnapping the girl and her friends. It galled to have been drawn into what could so easily become a fiasco.

Behind him, the door opened freely allowing the outside cold to rush in. Thankfully his guest had enough sense to step inside and close the door. "Comrade Laptev."

'Ah, the young kapitan,' he thought as his hand pressed the synthesizer's toggle. A mechanical sounding voice issued from a tiny speaker, "What is it?"

"The plane had landed," Giorgi told him.

"Very well," Vasili responded. "Have the crew and passengers separated and put under guard. Then have the Yukihiro girl brought here."

'Best get this over with quickly,' Vasili thought as the officer acknowledged his order and departed. He had another job in Sri Lanka selling arms to the Tamil rebels and the sooner he could leave this dreary rock behind, the better.

(-)

Cocone glanced out of the window as the jet descended. Numerous structures were located along one side of the landing strip while the seaward side lay bare. Several jets similar to their escorts were parked at the far end of the runway as well as a craft about the size of a small whaleship.

"Do not worry," Marcato said from the neighboring seat. Her mother had known the Rallentando family for years and the young nobleman had often been a guest at the Rosa estate. Of all the nobles whom she had met, excepting family, he was the only one to have played with her. With most visitors Cocone would be trotted out to be patted on the head, told "what a lovely child" she was and then ignored. Although older than herself, the marquis had been quite as bored by these little visits and was a willing companion to explore the estate's property with. How many times had they snuck through pirate infested territory and liberated ill-gotten treasure from the infamous Captain Redbeard? Enough for the gardener to complain to mother about trampling the flower beds and the head cook about missing pies. Punishment came, but oh the adventure.

"I'm not worried," she truthfully replied as their jet touched down. She and Marcato could defeat the forces on the ground without any assistance. No doubt Sister Shakti would point out that boasting was prideful and a sin; just a surely her partner Misora would counter with it isn't boasting if it's true.

The wait after landing seemed intolerably long, but eventually the hatch opened and uniformed men herded them off the jet and to a metal building. The interior was one large room and bare save for an overhead light and switch box. Breath steamed white as she and her companions waited in their chilly confinement.

"Are they trying to freeze us?" Ayaka wondered aloud while pacing back and forth, rubbing arms for warmth. Gazing at the rest of them, the girl asked, "Aren't any of you cold?"

"Ayaka-san," Chamo called from his perch upon Negi's shoulder. "You could borrow some energy through the pactio …"

"Don't talk to me about pactios!" the teen testily replied.

Cocone placed a hand upon Ayaka's arm. "**Tepido.**" Warmth radiated from her palm to spread up the other girl's limb.

"What did you do?" Ayaka asked.

"Just a minor spell to take the chill off," she answered.

"Thank you," Ayaka told her.

As the teen walked away, Negi approached. "I think that's the first time I've seen you cast a spell," he remarked.

"I don't do it often Springfield-san," she shyly responded. "I have a tendency to invest a spell with too much power."

"I understand," he said. The boy's lips smoothly curved into a smile that had melted the hearts of school girls from the elementary to the upper levels of Mahora.

Even before his arrival Cocone had heard of Negi Springfield, son of the Thousand Master. Prior to events in the Mundus Magicus, she had been disappointed to find that the boy fell far short of the larger-than-life figure of popular imagination. Quiet, humble and unassuming it was easy to underestimate the young mage; however, his victory over Kosmos Entelechia was no less remarkable than his father's had been twenty years prior. Before her stood a mage whose name was on every tongue from Hellas to Vairocana, yet he was also the insecure, little boy from the confession booth. Two very different images that equally defined the same person.

'If only he was Hellian.' Cocone's eyes gaped wide in surprise as the import of that idle thought struck with the force of a 2 by 4.

"Is something wrong?" Negi asked in an anxious tone.

"Noth … nothing," she hastily answered. "Please excuse me."

With controlled desperation she walked over to where the marquis and princess were. She couldn't possibly like Negi; the very idea was inconceivable. Even if by some chance she did, Cocone was the heir of one of the Empire's noble families as well as related to the Empress. Like her mother, a husband would be chosen with political alliances in mind.

"Hot, hot, hot!" A thin haze of smoke hung over Ayaka as the teen frantically beat at her clothes. Cocone mentally groaned as Negi raced over and undid her mistake with a simple incantation. Perhaps there was a reason why her Minister Mage was granted running shoes for an artifact.

Their prison's door was suddenly thrown open as a woman wearing a red dress and pink sunglasses sauntered in accompanied by half a dozen soldiers. "My Japanese is piss poor," the woman said in English. "Which one of you is Miss Yukihiro?"

A wild idea flared briefly to life as Cocone recalled an American movie she had watched with Misora. Near the end, a defeated army sat upon the ground as the victors demanded the losing general identify himself. Before the man could rise, one of his companions stood up and shouted, "I am Spartacus!" To the general's amazement more and more soldiers climbed to their feet, each echoing the first man's cry. Such noble self-sacrifice was rendered unnecessary as she caught one of the woman in red's thoughts.

Trailing behind Ayaka, Cocone approached the woman who glazed down at her through rose-colored glasses and demanded, "What do you want little girl?"

"Yes," she said softly in response, "he is Nagi Springfield's son."

(-)

Fresh out of college, with degree in hand, Eda had joined the agency. For three long years she toiled in the headquarters building at Langley before being allowed in the field. Her first few jobs had been rather ho-hum, doing little more than currier duty, but then came a real assignment; one that very nearly was her last.

A Khmer Rouge hit squad had cornered her at the Ankor Wat complex and was closing in when Eda literally stumbled into a young man wearing a ratty cloak and totting a funky-looking stick. Then her world got really weird, really quick, becoming a whirlwind of chases, explosions, gun fights and close escapes until days later when the pair staggered into Ho Chi Min City across the border in Vietnam.

Nagi Springfield wasn't your run of the mill knight who rescued damsels in distress. Some of the things Eda recalled him doing where unbelievable as the higher-ups' reaction to her report proved. She tried to track him down afterwards, but it was as if he had disappeared from the face of the earth; however, she never forgot about the man who only wanted to get to Japan and see his family.

Ten years was a long time. Eda had changed and so had her world though there were still plenty of chases, explosions, gun fights and close escapes. Still, she was shocked to see the name Negi Springfield listed on the passenger manifest and if the past was any guide, more weird stuff was about to happen.

"Ga da!" she told the guards who appeared uncertain about leaving her behind. "Ga da!"

They eventually left with the Yukihiro girl. "So you're Negi," Eda said as she dipped the sunglasses down to get a better view. "You resemble your old man a bit."

A spate of shouts greeted her comment, but the agent's attention was concentrated on the young boy before her. "You knew my father?" he asked with a tone that fell somewhere between a challenge and amazement.

"Only for a week or so," Eda answered. "Does he still carry around that funny staff of his? The one with the top twisted into a lightning bolt?"

Negi unconsciously threw back his shoulders. "Who are you?" the youngster demanded.

The little girl who started the whole exchange answered for her. "Her name is Edwina Lund."

"Hey you! Knock that off!" the agent said. "I don't care much for that name; call me Eda."

"Alright then Eda," Negi responded, "why did you bring us here and what's happening to Ayaka?"

"Look kiddo, the reason I'm here has nothing to do with any of you," she answered. "As to your friend …"

"She works for the Central Intelligence Agency," the little girl interrupted again.

Eda glared at the dark complexioned pre-teen. "I thought I told you to knock it off."

"You're a spy," declared a girl whose pig tails had bells tied to them.

"Say that a little louder why don't you?" Eda snarled. "Are you kids trying to get me shot?"

"Sorry but we're concerned about our friends," Negi apologized. "Can you tell us where they are? We'll need to get everyone together before we get out of here."

"Pardon?" It was with the greatest of difficulty that the agent kept her jaw from smacking against the concrete floor. "Look kiddo, I admire your guts but you're not thinking clearly. You'd need some pretty hefty artillery to even consider getting off this island."

The corners of the youngster's mouth inched upwards. "Chachamaru, Asuna, Setsuna, show her," Negi said. "You too Lord Rallentando."

CLICK!

Eda stared at a green-haired girl who held a multiple grenade launcher. Eyes widened as the agent realized that the launcher was actually attached to the other's arm. Her gaze swung around the room, taking in the sight of armor and swords that had materialized from who knew where, and back to the broadly grinning boy.

"I'm not going to ask how so don't bother making up any lies," she finally said. "Seems you got more than looks from dear old dad."

(-)

"Please come in Miss Yukihiro." The voice was flat and tinny as if coming through a poor quality speaker. Using the technique Nagase-san taught her, Ayaka's eyes adjusted quickly to the dim light inside. Standing behind a desk, a man held one hand against his throat and motioned to a chair with the other. "Do be seated."

Accepting the offered chair, Ayaka took a closer look at her host. He was a little taller than average, with a slender build; his blonde hair and beard were neatly trimmed and the man's suit was an expensive, Italian brand. He could have easily passed for one of the foreigners who did business with her father save for a black band encircling his neck. Wires led from the band to a device in the suit's breast pocket.

"I see you're curious about my speech synthesizer," that mechanical voice remarked.

"One of your countrymen slashed my throat with a katana," the man explained while a finger touched the ragged edge of a scar poking above his collar. "The sword damaged my larynx so I use a synthesizer to speak."

"I'm sorry for your injury," she responded. "Might I know why I and my friends have been brought here?"

"A most regrettable state Miss Yukihiro," he said. "However, as the daughter of such a powerful family you know that regrets are inevitable."

"I have been instructed to inform you that you and your friends will be well treated if you cooperate," the man explained.

"Cooperate? How?"

"Just make a phone call to your father and let him know your situation," her host answered.

'A ransom demand,' Ayaka immediately thought. But that didn't make sense; how would mere kidnappers have access to fighter jets and a military base? "And might there be something else I'd have to say?" she asked aloud.

Her host actually smiled at the question. "Your intelligence is as great as your beauty," he said. "Yukihiro Worldwide has extensive contacts from New York to the Persian Gulf."

"I'm sure an intelligent young lady such as yourself understands how beneficial doing business with such a respected firm could be," the man told her. "Particularly for those wishing to avoid close scrutiny."

"I'd be very disappointed to learn you were nothing but drug smugglers," Ayaka said.

"No drugs," he assured. "However, the less you know the better for you and the others."

Now that she knew what they wanted, Ayaka had to stall. "I'll need time to think this over."

"Ah, but time is a precious commodity Miss Yukihiro," the man said. "It would be a shame if others grew impatient waiting and decided to prompt you by causing some misfortune for your friends."

"I see," she replied with feigned resignation. "Am I allowed a few minutes to compose myself before calling?"

"Of course."

(-)

Red flashed in the gap between two tents, quickly followed by dark blue. The pattern repeated unobserved as two figures darted down the space separating two rows of nylon covered domes. At the edge of the row, Eda motioned to Cocone to wait while the agent peered around a corner. Two guards, each armed with an assault rifle, stood outside a metal shed where the flight crew was confined.

Pulling back, Eda considered her next action. Shots would alert any and every one nearby. She could probably get off a knife throw, but that would still leave one guard. 'No good either,' she thought. 'I might be able to get close enough for martial arts …'

It was then the agent noticed her companion was missing. Cocone was skipping towards the guards totally unconcerned and singing a strange song.

"**Somnus in, somnus in, alius hora, non effrego sic sedo a somnus.**"

Weapons were instantly pointed at the child, but remained unfired as the amazed men silently watched.

Cocone continued forward hopping upon one foot as if playing a game of hop-scotch. "**Ut excito elucido quod, ut pluo surrideo quod ploro.**"

Guns wavered and then lowered as first one man yawned followed by the other.

"**Somnus in, somnus in, amo sculptured res.**"

Eda felt her own eyelids begin to droop but shook herself awake.

"**Maiestas, decorus professio sentential,**" Cocone sang and the guards slumped quietly to the ground.

Cautiously the agent advanced. "I saw it but I don't believe it," she told Cocone. "Where'd you learn to do that?"

"At a convent," the child answered.

"Convent huh? I knew there was something sneaky about you."

Disdaining to search the guards, Eda removed a hair pin and sprung the lock. Snatching open the door, she thrust her head inside and then very slowly pulled it back. A pistol muzzle aimed at the agent's face followed.

"Eda," the flight attendant said in disgust. "I never thought to see your conniving face again you bitch."

"Hello to you too Becky," she quipped while continuing to give ground. "Don't tell me you're still upset about Macau."

Stooped over, Dutch exited next and added "I can't say you're on my Christmas card list either." Benny was close on the big man's heels.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't blow a three foot wide hole through that bleach blonde head of yours," the pistol wielder dared.

"Other than bringing every soldier on the island down on you," Eda replied, "it would set a bad example for the kid here."

The crew members glanced first at Cocone and then the unconscious guards.

"Son of a bitch," Benny muttered. "What happened?"

"Talk," Becky demanded as the woman shoved the gun closer.

"Talk later," the agent replied. "Better grab those rifles gents; we have a plane to catch."

(-)

The temperature was a balmy 6 degrees above freezing as the soldier, wishing desperately for a cigarette, manned his post. He had been thankful for the opportunity to accompany the fighter squad on an exercise in Russian territory. Images of shops with full shelves, restaurants with plentiful food and clubs with amenable women filled his head only to vanish upon seeing this forsaken island out the cargo jet's window.

Disappointment was bad, but boredom was worse. Jets took off and landed all day long, but for an anti-aircraft gunner it was an effort to stay awake. A sigh escaped his lips. If only something exciting would happen.

The hapless man's wish was granted as a dark haired girl crept silently behind and delivered a blow to the back of his neck. Much later the gunner would be roused with the assistance of a bucket of icy water. He would have missed all the excitement but after seeing how the heavy machinegun's barrel had been sheared off, the soldier decided that was not such a bad thing.

(-)

'Very good. Move on to the next target.'

Negi removed the card from his forehead, breaking the telepathic link with Setsuna. "The anti-air defenses are disabled," he said aloud. "Begin jamming their communications Chachamaru-san."

Wordlessly the gynoid began emitting microwave pulses. Too weak to damage equipment, the pulses were strong enough to disrupt radio frequencies. Unlike the battles in the Mundus Magicus, Negi realized that escaping this army, small as it was, would not be a simple task.

In addition to his desire not to hurt others, the youngster held no animosity towards his captors. The forced landing was an inconvenience to his group and the instigators were likely far away; the troops were merely following orders.

How to defeat those troops presented the problem. Perhaps the headmaster was right and one day magic would no longer be a tightly held secret; however, trouncing a nation's military armed with modern weapons was not the proper introduction. Instead of building trust and cooperation it was more likely to incite fear and anger against "power-hungry mages bent on world domination". Then too, the Council of Mages would take a dim view of such open use. Fortunately, he had an out.

Among the many lesson learned at last summer's festival, Negi discovered how ingrained the inclination for normal people to disbelieve magic was. Give a plausible, even if barely, explanation and most would gladly accept it. Those who remained suspicious were labeled 'kooks' worthy of the same attention as those who insisted the earth was flat.

BOOM!

The ground trembled as a fireball rose over the fuel storage area north of runway.

"Fire the tear gas," he ordered.

Chachamaru lifted the grenade launcher in response. Ker-thump! A canister arced high above the runway and landed near a parked fighter. Upon impact a chemical fuse ignited, heating the contents to a gaseous state. White vapor hissed from the grenade forming a cloud that blanketed the area. Those people nearby fled as capsaicin laden fumes caused eyes and throats to burn. Ker-thump! Ker-thump! Ker-thump!

Protected by a wind barrier, Negi raced onto the cloud-covered apron. His usual spells wouldn't be effective in this situation; wind would disperse the gas while lightning might ignite any stray fumes. Gravity however, would do neither. The mage recited a simple spell Albeiro Imma had taught him and sent its force towards a MiG. Metal groaned in protest before the craft's nosecone and forward landing gear crumpled in its grip.

After Negi finished with the fighters, he and Setsuna would continue to keep the area clear while Chachamaru prepared the Gulfstream for their getaway. It would be up to the others to get here safely. Even knowing their capabilities as he did, the boy still fretted, but he couldn't be everywhere. As his first partner pointed out he'd have to trust them. 'I do trust you Asuna,' he thought. 'Come back soon.'

(-)

Although she was attractive enough for Vasili to enjoy looking at, he had allowed the girl to delay long enough. "Are you composed now?"

With downcast eyes the girl answered with a simple "Yes."

The satellite phone's handset was clunky and appeared like a relic from the time this airfield was built rather than an example of modern technology. Vasili pushed it across the desktop towards the reluctant teen. He didn't blame her in the least. Considering how useful the girl was, she could look forward to an indeterminate period of captivity; and if her usefulness ended … that wasn't something to look forward to either.

Ayaka picked up the phone and gazed a moment at it. "How … how do I dial?"

"Press 011 to connect," he answered, "and then dial as for an international call when you hear the tone."

BOOM!

As one both glanced at each other and then the door. From outside came faint sounds of shouting followed by a burst of gunfire. Barely did the word "**Adeat**" register as the arms dealer yanked open a drawer. Before Vasili could grab the pistol within, something long and thin wrapped around his wrist. Cruel barbs dug into the man's flesh as the former hostage, showing surprising strength, pulled him halfway across the desk.

Ayaka's clothing had been replaced with an outlandish costume that would not have looked out of place in Tokyo's Akihabara distract, or perhaps the Kabukicho. In her hand the teen held the handle of a whip that reminded Vasili of a thorn covered vine. Quickly she ensnared the man's other hand as more gunfire sounded.

The office door, kicked from its hinges, sailed into the room. A sword wielding girl dressed in an even more outrageous suit of armor strode in. "Herrrre's Johnny," the newcomer cheerfully announced.

"You're late Asuna," Ayaka told the newcomer.

"Blame those guards outside," the girl replied.

"Excuses, excuses," his captor said, before turning to him. "You're coming with us. Regrettable but I'm sure you understand."

'What sort of nightmare have I stumbled into?' the dealer wondered as the sounds of battle continued to drift in.

"You know the Dominatrix look suits you Ayaka," the other girl remarked.

"What's wrong with you Asuna?" the blonde shot back. "I mean this outfit, the whip?"

"What's wrong with me? Ha!" Asuna replied. "What's wrong with you Lolita?"

(-)

Rat-ta-tat, ra-ta-tat, ra-ta-ta-tat. A spray of bullets kicked up dust along the earthen wall they crouched behind. Grinning ear to ear, Becky popped over the barrier to fire a single round. The slug tore into a gunner's shoulder, blooming crimson as the force spun the man around.

"Damn! Only winged him," the woman cursed as she ducked back down. "This is just like Rangoon."

"You and I remember Rangoon very differently," Eda remarked. They were in a tight spot pinned down and sitting ducks if somebody circled around. "This is no good; we need to fall back."

Eda glanced around as panic rapidly grew. "Crap! Where's the kid?"

"How should I know?" Becky answered. "I thought you were her chaperon."

A shout of "Hold your fire!" came from the other side. Eda peeked over the earthen mound to find Cocone squirming in the Russian captain's arms.

"We have the little girl," the officer said. "Put down your weapons and come out."

"We're screwed," Eda muttered as she watched Cocone's leg lift straight out to chest height and then drop forcefully down. The young officer's eyes bulged as he let out a blood-curdling scream before falling to the ground. A faint light outlined the child's figure as Cocone leapt up and landed on the barrel of another soldier's rifle. A single kick knocked that unfortunate man out cold and as he fell back, she arched into a backflip-hand spring combination that would have impressed an Eastern bloc, gymnastics judge**.**

A burst of fire struck empty air as Cocone tumbled to the side. A returning blast of wind engulfed the gunman, tearing the rifle from his hands and clothes from his back. As the bewildered fellow stood in naught but a pair of boxer shorts, his remaining comrades agreed on a tactical retreat.

Cautiously Agent Lund and the others approached the little girl as the still groaning officer had called her.

"You learn that at the convent too?" Eda asked.

"No," Cocone answered, "the playground."

"I don't how good of a nun she'd make," Becky quipped, "but she has a future as a maid in Columbia."

(-)

Ayaka watched as Marcato jumped down from a tent roof upon a knot of soldiers. The flat of the nobleman's blade bashed into one man's shoulder and the class-rep could imagine the accompanying crunch of broken bones. Someone tried to smash a rifle butt into the marquis' face, but the warrior blocked it with contemptuous ease even as his booted foot struck another opponent.

Perspiration rolled down Ayaka's face a she turned toward the sound of labored breathing. Her hostage's weezing and sweat soaked suit showed he was in even worse shape. Marcato had argued against bringing the man along, but she had stubbornly insisted. Hearing 'I told you so' was galling, yet preferable to being responsible for this man's injury or death.

Quickly she unloosed his wrists. "Get lost," she said to his amazement, "before I change my mind."

Ayaka paid no further attention to the receding footsteps as the last soldier was dispatched.

"Where's what's his name?" Asuna asked.

"I let him go," she answered. "He wasn't useful as a hostage and only slowed us down."

To her surprise, Asuna replied with "Yeah, we need to move faster."

The squeal of tires grabbed their attention as a truck careened around the corner. A machinegun was mounted in the back and the gunner fired a burst in their direction forcing Ayaka to back away. Her classmate on the other hand had a different idea. Wearing an idiotic grin, Asuna rushed forward.

Shocked by the girl's suicidal charge, the driver slammed on the brakes while the gunner grabbed hold of the mount to keep from being thrown out. Ignoring the weight of armor, Asuna hurtled over the vehicle's hood and landed in its back end. Grasping the gunner's uniform by the collar, she banged the man's head against the machine gun and then tossed him aside.

Witnessing what happened, the driver bolted only to have Ayaka block his path. She ducked beneath a clumsily thrown punch, grabbed hold of his arm and threw with all her strength. The fellow tore through the tent's fabric skin and, judging from the sounds within, collided with several boxes.

"Not bad for a merchant's daughter," Marcato remarked as the marquis approached.

"Why thank you," Ayaka replied with a sarcastic tone that seemed lost on its intended target.

"Hey you two," Asuna called from the driver's seat. "I got us a lift."

"Excellent," Marcato said as he climbed into the back, leaving the front seat for the class-rep.

"Do you know how to drive?" Ayaka asked as she settled in.

"How difficult can it be," Asuna answered as the teen grabbed hold of the shift stick.

Griiiiinnnnd. "Oops. Let's try this way."

"I have a bad feeling about this," Ayaka muttered.

(-)

For an initial foray driving, she wasn't doing too badly Asuna thought. The frequent jerking threatened to given them all whiplash, but she eventually figured out when to let off the clutch. Now if only the truck would stay in a straight line. Her passengers said not a word of complaint; however, Ayaka's white-knuckled grip on the dashboard spoke loudly enough.

Glancing at the class rep out of the corner of her eye, Asuna wondered again how she let herself be talked into a pactio. Marcato had listed several advantages such as Ayaka being able to draw upon her strength and the telepathic link. To top it off the marquis launched into a lecture on how it was a master's obligation to ensure a servant's welfare. She could have died laughing from the look on the class-rep's face at being called a servant.

Her thoughts returned to the present as Ayaka said, "Hey! Isn't that the others?"

After honking the horn to get their attention, Asuna straightened the wheel and then slowed to a stop. "Hop on in."

The flight crew climbed into the back while Ayaka took Cocone on her lap. "Move over," the lady in red demanded. "I can get us to the jet quicker."

"But I was just getting the hang of it," Asuna complained.

"Don't argue," Ayaka said as her classmate scooted over to make room.

Agent Lund smoothly shifted the truck into gear and soon they were pulling onto the runway. Soldiers battled a fire blazing beyond the flight line's distant end while the parking area was littered with the crumpled remains of fighter jets. Ready for boarding, the Gulfstream sat in the clear with Negi guarding one side and Setsuna the other.

As the truck raced forward, a soldier limped from a group of nearby building. Cradled in his arms was a device consisting of a long, slender tube, flared at one end and sporting a bulbous shape at the other. "RPG!" Eda shouted as the man lifted the weapon and took aim.

Asuna gathered kanka for a strike, but Cocone beat her with a quickly chanted spell, "**Flans Saltatio Pulverea!**" A gale-force wind blew in response to the child's summons just as the soldier fired. Caught by the crosswind, the missile turned and bore down on a large jet at the runway's end. As the warhead exploded, the man dropped the weapon and buried his face in both hands.

The truck screeched to a halt before the Gulfstream and the group scampered up the boarding stairs. Moments later the Negi Love II screamed down the runway, lifted and soared over the ocean waves like a majestic eagle. Inside the main cabin, Asuna exhaled in relief. Seated next to her was Setsuna.

"Was looking after Konoka this hectic too?" she asked the swordswoman.

Allowing a slight smile, Setsuna answered with "Only since sensei's arrival."

"Yeah," she agreed. "It seems no matter where Negi is trouble's never far away."

A few spaces away, Cocone overheard their comments and concurred. Perhaps it was for the best Negi wasn't Hellian, the young girl decided. Whoever hitched a carriage to that horse was bound for a wild ride.

(-)

**North Pacific Ocean**

The galley was cramped, but had advantages since its smoke detector lay dormant on a counter. A cloud of smoke hovered near the ceiling.

"So what happened to Rock?" Eda asked between puffs. "Or did you two break up?"

"We're still together," Becky answered. "His old company lost some important data to a group of computer hackers and they hired him to negotiate its return; right about now he's probably knocking back a cold one on the beach at Abu Dhabi."

"So what about you?" Becky asked in return. "What were you doing on that island?"

"That's a long story," she replied.

"Adak's still a couple hours away," the other woman replied as she removed a bottle of Bacardi from a cabinet. Becky set it and two plastic cups on the counter. "Fair trade?"

"Fair enough," Eda agreed. "Do you remember a Russian by the name of Vasili Laptev?"

"No. Should I?"

"I see your memory's as good as ever," Eda remarked. "He was part of that Tokyo gang war you and Rock were involved in. Anyways, when Vasili realized his partners had thrown him to the sharks he found a new hobby selling arms."

Becky finished pouring her drink. "And that's where you came in?"

"I do have that reputation," Eda remarked. "Vasili was brokering a deal to transfer obsolete weapons between the Russians and North Koreans. However, he was working on behalf of a third party."

"I was trying to find out who that third party was when all of you showed up," Eda explained. "So what are you guys doing playing tour guide?"

"The blonde girl's family is loaded and her father made us an offer we couldn't refuse," Becky told her. "Not that it seems we were needed."

"So what happens after this job is over?" Eda asked. "Do you just ride off into the sunset?"

"Hell if I know." The other woman took a swallow and then glazed back at her. "Why are you interested all of the sudden?"

"I still want to know who was pulling Laptev's strings," she answered. "I've heard a little about an industrialist and secret societies; sounds like a Forsythe novel. Don't know if any of its true, but if so I'd like 'Two Guns' backing me up."

"After you cut us loose at Macau?" Becky asked. "If you were a guy I'd say you had a big, brass pair."

"You and the others have every right to be pissed off, but the triads weren't coming after you," the blonde agent defended herself. "At least not until somebody starting shooting anything that moved."

Becky shrugged in response. "I'll talk it over with the others but don't hold your breath." The woman chuckled and said, "Maybe you should hire these kids instead. From what I saw they could put Rambo to shame."

Eda shook her head. "No. These kids are so far above us it isn't even funny. You and me, we'd only slow 'em down."

(-)

**Urup Island**

Hours later, crews had put out the fires although some spots still smoldered. Other troops were conducting a building to building search for additional damage and reports were encouraging so far. Despite the destruction to the base facilities and aircraft, there were remarkably few causalities and none fatal. But Kapitan Giorgi Tupolev drew scant comfort from that as he surveyed the wreckage of the Il-76 and the cargo it carried.

"We were incredibly lucky," commented the man at his side.

"Lucky?" the officer stoically replied. "I don't feel particularly lucky Comrade Laptev."

"No?" Vasili asked. "Then look around and ask yourself why you are alive."

"Perhaps you are right," Giorgi conceded.

"Have you figured out what you're going to tell your superiors?" the arms dealer asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I've spoken with the base commander," Vasili answered, "and he is of the opinion that the attack was the work of special operations forces; possibly Japanese or even American."

Giorgi's response was a disgusted snort.

"In any case," Vasili continued, "the North Korean's precipitated the attack by kidnapping civilians."

Giorgi could feel the arms dealer's eyes as the other man waited for his response. Laying blame on a group of Japanese students was a sure path to a short career. In the future an opportunity to revenge this disaster might present itself and the young kapitan intended to be around to take advantage. "Such a report makes a great deal of sense Comrade Laptev."

(-)

**A/N: The chapter title and heading are from the song 'Danger Zone' that was not written by Kenny Loggins. I alternated listening to that and the theme from 'Beverly Hills Cop' as I wrote this.**

**Eda, to my knowledge, never had another name. I decided that like Becky (or Revy if you prefer) she goes by a shortened form. She would have met Nagi Springfield in the late fall of 1993 as he returned to the Mundus Vertus using the gateport at the Ankor Wat ruins in Cambodia. **

**Vasili Laptev appeared in the manga's Fujiyama Gangsta Paradise arc (chapters 22-37) and was killed off before the end. Here I decided he survived the attack, but gave him a slashed throat and voice synthesizer like Frederica Sawyer (the creepy cleaning lady).**

**Vasili's comment about a schoolgirl in Niigata is in reference to Megumi Yokota, who in 1977 disappeared on her way home from school. In 2002, the North Korean government admitted to abducting her and other Japanese citizens. **

**Tepido is the Latin word for warm.**

**The spell Cocone uses to put the guards to sleep is a rough translation to Latin of Edgar Allen Poe's poem "To Sleep". **

**Tokyo's Akihabara distract is a major shopping area for electronics, computers, games and anime related merchandise. Kabukicho on the other hand caters to those looking for a very different sort of entertainment.**

**I used a Gulfstream G450 for Ayaka's jet. The Ilyushin Il76 is a Soviet-era cargo jet.**

**Ayaka's pactio artifact and costume is taken from her armor card in the second anime series. I thought the whip might prove more useful than being able to walk in on the base commander unannounced.**


End file.
